Party on?
Psst . . . yo, spead the word: Party on the Fenway lawn tonight. Uh-huh, another one -- sort of a tradition this time of year. Beer will cost you a few bucks, but the champagne should be on the house. It's sure to be a blast. Oh, and remind Papelbon to remember his cardboard hat. Dude's crazy, always the life of these things. Just wait 'til you see him dance.
Oh, OK, maybe our party planning is just a wee bit premature here. If there's anything we should have learned from the Patriots' debacle versus the Dolphins yesterday, it's that we should never count any victory before it's hatched. In fact, I'm pretty sure Joey Porter is predicting an Indians win tonight.
But with Sox ace Josh Beckett, who has a 0.95 ERA in his last three starts, opposing Cleveland rookie Zach Jackson, he of the 0-3 record and 6.48 ERA this season . . . well, we just can't help ourselves. This one should be as big a mismatch on the field as it is on paper.
And once the final out in the top of the ninth is recorded and "Dirty Water" blares deep into the Boston night, what has lately felt like something between a formality and the inevitable will finally become official:
For the fifth time in six seasons, the Red Sox will be bound for the postseason.
The scenario tonight is a simple one: If the Sox beat the Indians, they're in. The only team capable of tying them for the American League wild card is the Yankees, who trail the Sox by a full seven games with seven to play. The Yankees are idle this evening, and as you may have noticed, Sunday night's elaborate farewell at The House That Mariano Rivera Closed had the underlying tone of a concession speech.
(For the record, I am sad to see Yankee Stadium go dark. It's always a bummer to see a historic ballpark demolished for the sake of corporate greed, and beyond that, it was the site of one of my greatest -- and certainly the most redemptive -- experiences as a sports fan. To put it another way: I imagine I'll miss it more than Javier Vazquez or Kevin Brown will.)
There is a chance that, if/when the Sox clinch tonight, the celebration could be more subdued than we've suggested, if only because all matters aren't settled and the division crown remains in play. The Sox trail the Rays by a game-and-a-half (two in the loss column) with seven to play, hardly an insurmountable deficit, but one that serves as a reminder of how much circumstances have changed in one year.
On this exact date a year ago, the Red Sox, paced by home runs from Julio Lugo and Jason Varitek (heretofore known as Ruth and Gehrig), secured their spot in the '07 postseason with an 8-6 victory over Tampa Bay at Tropicana Field. Since then, the Rays have dropped the Devil from their nickname and enjoyed a season that, so far, seems to be a gift sent directly from the heavens.
Six days later, on Sept. 28, the Red Sox clinched their first AL East title since 1995, and you may recall that it happened in sort of a bizarre but wildly enjoyable scenario. The Sox defeated the Twins at Fenway, 5-2, to guarantee at least a tie for the division crown. They then waited in the clubhouse and fans watched on the Jumbotron as the Orioles rallied to defeat the second-place Yankees in 10 innings, ensuring that the AL East was theirs alone, and setting off a raucous, if delayed, celebration on Yawkey Way.
Wrote the Globe's Daniel Malloy:
About 2,000 or so fans stuck around to watch the end of the [Yankees-Orioles] game . . .and cheered as the Red Sox -- sporting new T-shirts and hats boasting of their accomplishment, as is the trend these days -- came out and sprayed champagne and beer and danced around. Papelbon -- who at one point was wearing an empty case of Bud Light on his head -- was the most wild participant. He did a rather impressive (and by impressive I mean not impressive) Irish jig on the infield. He eschewed shorts for black spandex, and at one point was wearing goggles. Dustin Pedroia used his smallness to sneak up on several players to give them Korbel showers.
It was quite a party, and as you may recall, not their final one last fall. Tonight, perhaps we'll get our first hint that this autumn will also be memorable.
Just to be safe, don't forget your goggles.
Comment
Permalink
Email
I was among the fans last year at the division-clincher, having come up from NYC for the game. However, I didn't wait around the park to see if the O's would beat the Yanks. I needed strong drink, you see, and headed to a bar. Had I known it was going to be like that, well...let's just say I would have been hanging out in Game On and waiting for the players to arrive.
Joey finally had a good game. That is all. He makes a lot of money and it was about time. He never predicted or guaranteed a win however. He said it would be nice to go up to NE and win, nothing more. Just because it is Joey, people exaggerate things. NE fans must hate Joey but he fired up the team with those comments I think.
Does this kind of thinking strike anyone as just taunting fate into action? I grew up watching the Sox snatch defeat from the jaws of victory at every turn. This sort of talk before the matter is decided just feels like hubris and a bad idea. I know, I know. We're going to do it but why start acting like Yankee fans about it?
"Since then, the Rays have dropped the Devil from their nickname and enjoyed a season that, so far, seems to be a gift sent directly from the heavens."
Good line. Should have dropped the qualifiers -- its a heaven sent season in Tampa regardless of the final outcome-- and punched it up to make it a great line:
"Since then, the Rays dropped the Devil from their nickname and enjoyed a season sent directly from the heavens."
Still good line.
Colin hit it on the head. Can we please not have a 1986 "Congratulations Red Sox on Winning the World Series" premature jumbotron celebration relapse? Not that I don't have faith in the Sox, but karma is really, really good at its job.
Dad, what does Joey Pothead have to to with the Red Sox? You should be more concerned with my Bucs!
I don't know if I really would celebrate being the wild cards - especially since the Devil Rays beat us for first place. I'm happy we made it to the post season, but they should focus more on making past the first round....
The Red Sox should have a very low key "party" tonight (no wild carrying on like last season) if they clinch the playoffs. Save the big party for if they win the division!
GO SOX!
In light of the Yankees most likely being out of it and the Sox being in by the time this weekend rolls around, do you think we could belatedly thank Johjnny Damon for his contributions to the Red Sox while he was here. Say what you will about him going to the Yankees (and believe me I did), he was always the ulimate gamer and provided the spark duing game 7 of that game you are referring to...He never should have gone to the Yankees, but unless I've missed it, he isn't one of the former Sox that has spoken out against the team after the Manny trade a la Derek Lowe and Nomar.
I just think it would be a nice touch to applaud the guy for his part in the 2004 World Series....
Hey Colin,
Get a grip and stop living in circa 2003. The ledge on the Tobin has been a lonely place since then. Let's leave the "hubris" where it belongs, in NY. And leave the collapsing to the Mets.
I'll wait until we win the world series. After all, the Red Sox are the new Yankees.
I think blog readers and posters offering the team "tips" on how to celebrate "properly" is right up there with offering the players "tips" on how to "play better."
Whatever it is they choose to do, they've earned it.
The Yankee tragic number is one with one to go. I will be one happy camper with a Sox win tonight.
The Sox making the playoffs is still an accomplishment and not a foregone conclusion in any season. Calling the Sox the new Yankees is highly inaccurate when you could add the Sox payroll to the payroll of the Rays and Marlins and still not reach the Yankees' payroll (FWIW, the Sox payroll was 4th this year behind Yanks, Tigers and Mets).
Of course, this is a team that has been here before. They know there's business left. Catching the Rays would mean a date with Chicago or Minnesota at home rather than in LA. Then again, none of those teams really scare me (not that they aren't good, but the Sox can beat 'em...)
Bob and Brian,
Stop your family fighting here on this blog! You're both wrong!
REPEAT RED SOX 2008!
My mother, my then-8 year old, and I were at the division clincher and we hung around for a few minutes to watch the Orioles-Yankees game. But Alas!! We had parked in a garage that closed one hour after game time and had to move along.
Had we known what was to transpire after we left we would have risked losing our car for the night! I would have slept on a park bench to be there for that on-field celebration, and the irony is that I was at that game!
Ah well. That's the beauty of being a Red Sox fan. There's always more, more, more unpredictable things to look forward to! (Even without Manny).
The three of us will coincidentally be attending this Wednesday's game.
Keep the celebration low key. Play out the rest of the season and hopefully catch the Rays. Then you have a real reason for cheers.
Isn't a full blown celebration of a wildcard clinch a little, well, unseemly for the defending World Champions? It seems like celebrating making it into October as a wildcard would be something for teams like, oh say, Tampa.
For the Red Sox, celebrations should start with clinching the division and grow in intensity as we advance to the championship. But who am I to pooh pooh the boys having a little fun? Party on, Paps. Get those boys up and dancing!
Colin,
Stop wringing your hands. The transformation is complete. The Red Sox are now more succesful than the Yankees have been and the Yankee fans are feeling the Doom and Gloom that only the Sox fans could have felt 4 year ago.
This isn't your father's Red Sox. Enjoy it!
Go sox they will be in the Playoff's again
Why is ARod listed under "Faces of the Playoffs" on the cover of the new SI? Unless Boras is going to have breaking ARod news, I don't think we're going to see too much of Mr. May next month.
Bob and Brian,
Florida (the state) sucks! Your so called fan base can't even show up to support the Marlins or Rays when they're winning. You don't deserve a baseball franchise you losers. And yeah for you, your Dolphins got one win. Better enjoy it. it's youing to be a long season for you.
We’re starting to get healthy. Longo’s back. Crawford’s next. Perez and Price are proving to be Godsends from AAA. We’re peaking at the right time. Should be exciting baseball. And no whining after we give you and your fans another beatdown at the Trop. More cowbell.
How's the party going? LOL
A sure double hits an umpire, Youk misses a homer by inches, Beckett hits three batters for the first time in his career.... No doubt about it - Chad, you're a jinx!!!
For the record, this was not my idea.
Scott, thanks for the editing, but the qualifier are their because the postseason is going to be so painful and disappointing for the Rays that they'll wish the good times never happened. They'll long for being a 68-win team again. So there.
//For the record, this was not my idea.//
Oh, sure, blame your editor. ;-)
And Rays Fan? I know you're new to this thing called baseball and all, but cowbells? Uh, no. This is baseball, not ski jumping.
And another thing that drives me insane about that ridiculous stadium: "K" signs that are part of the stadium display. "K" signs should be done by FANS. It's like the stadium telling fans when and how to cheer. They're fans, not robots!
Thank GOD for Fenway.
"...the postseason is going to be so painful and disappointing for the Rays that they'll wish the good times never happened."
I'm sure their fans will get over it. All three of them.
Wait, four--I forgot Dickie V.
CF,
Excellent point my man. I retract my careless edits!
Chad - _their_? You still need more editing :)
Rays fan - Congrats on making the big dance. But you're sort of like the highlander right? There is only one.
But the night really belongs to
"Start spreading the news..." (calling up all your Yankee friend fans and congratulating them on their 13 straight playoff appearances and helping them reminisce about their last WS win, last century and all)
That's what happens when I confront their/there/they're at 7:48 a.m.
Don't tell your dad, please.
I make that mistake every single time. (usually the other way) I just thought it was funny in the context of calling out your editor :)
This blogger might want to review your comment before posting it.
Irreverence and insight from Chad Finn, a Globe/Boston.com sports writer and lifelong and incurable sports nut. Yes, he realizes how lucky he is. You can e-mail him at chadfinn4@yahoo.com.
Finn on Twitter
browse this blog
by categoryTHE SCOOP
THE BEST OF TATB
R.I.P., 'OT'
MORE WRITING FROM CHAD
links
THE FUNDAMENTALS
ROLE PLAYERS
CHICKS DIG BLOGS
THE OMBUDSMAN
INside Boston.com