About last night . . . and tomorrow
"A very important lesson I learned as a kid is to never give up." -- David Ortiz, in a commercial for the Boys and Girls Club that aired several times during last night's game.
I know, we're supposed to move on, and a few paragraphs from now we promise to do our best. But excuse me while I cling to last night's I-can't-believe-what-I-just-saw epic just a little bit longer.
There's no ballgame today, and for once we consider that a good thing: the last one is meant to linger, to be rehashed, replayed, and reconsidered, and most of all, savored. It's the players' duty to let it go and look ahead. We're allowed to cherish their remarkable feat for another day.
So let's start with the obvious question: Did you stick with them? Did you make it through nine innings? When the Rays built their lead to 7-0 in the seventh, when Manny Delcarmen was doing his insanely aggravating Schiraldi routine on the mound, when the rest of the club was "comatose" (Tito's word choice), and when that last shred of optimism was slipping from your grasp, did you call it a season and change the channel . . . or worse, stumble off angrily to bed?
Full disclosure: We flipped to "The Office" during the middle innings, then came back for the seventh. Pam, you know. But we checked back in for the seventh, vaguely hoping to see the Sox put up a fight, but mostly just resigned to seeing the final innings of a season, to watch a few more futile swings before they headed off to a winter at the country club.
Then all the improbable things you wanted to happen -- needed to happen -- well, damned if they didn't just all take place, and right there, as if scripted by someone with clout who decided he didn't want this wildly interesting series to end just yet.
Suddenly, the Sox, to a man, stopped punting away at-bats and trying to hit seven-run homers. Actually, let's take that back: Dustin Pedroia always tries to hit the seven-run homer, bless his enormous heart, and it was only appropriate that Pedey, the best and brashest player on this particular baseball team, knocked that big, ugly "0" off the Red Sox' side of the ledger with an RBI single in the seventh.
Then, a few batters later, came the blow that made you believe there might be some magic left in the Fenway night after all. As we've said countless times during his sadly ineffective postseason, all we needed was one mighty swing from Big Papi to make the world right. At last, it happened. One vintage, majestic blast off of Tampa Bay nutjob Grant Balfour, and the margin was a seemingly manageable three. A very important lesson . . . is to never give up. The only question was whether the Sox could string together another rally before they ran out of outs.
Enter J.D. Drew. In the past five years, we've been blessed with a fan's lifetime's worth of postseason heroes. None is as puzzling as this peculiar new Mr. October, whose two-run homer in the eighth, which pulled the Sox to within 7-6, will go down as merely his second-greatest highlight of the night. Drew remains the ultimate enigma, making the game look so fundamentally easy when he's going well (have you ever seen a more flawless short swing?) and he does it all with the passion of someone in the midst of clipping his toenails. I'll never get him, but I'm damn sure glad he's here.
Drew, of course, became the game's First Star in the bottom of the ninth, rocketing a laser over the head of beleaguered Rays right fielder Gabe Gross to score the winner, an inning after Coco Crisp -- so selfless all season and so deserving of this moment -- culminated one of the best at-bats you will ever see with a screaming single to right to tie it. And when it was all said and done . . . well, I believe the old familiar phrase "Pandemonium on the field!" still fits just fine. What a comeback, what a team, what a night.
Okay . . . I think our giddy rehash is complete, and now we can move on, or at least attempt to. Putting all sentiment and the shaky concept of momentum aside, common sense suggests this series is still the Rays' to win. They are probably the superior team, and they are certainly the healthier one. They're going back to their bizarre home, where they need to win just one of two to achieve the goal that cruelly eluded them last night. They'll have all of their shiny new fans clanging their cowbells and doing all they can to restore their young heroes' shattered confidence. It'll be their kind of scene.
Further, they have their ace, the alleged "Big Game" James Shields, rested and ready for Game 6, while the Sox, for the time being, are countering with a pitcher who actually has earned such a moniker, Josh Beckett. But of course, we know there's a catch -- Josh Beckett isn't Josh Beckett!!! right now, and the naked eye tells you what the Red Sox refuse to confirm: he's hurt, and it's affecting not only his performance, but his legacy as one of the greatest postseason pitchers of any era (he was 4-0 with a 1.20 ERA last October).
I would never bet against the bullheaded Beckett in any big moment, even in his current condition, but the numbers do not lie: he has allowed 12 earned runs in 9 1/3 innings this postseason -- including five home runs -- and he's being hit at a .400 clip. I can't help but think it is a strategic mistake -- and yet another resulting from Terry Francona's blind loyalty -- to resist flipping Beckett and Jon Lester for Games 6 and 7. Lester, whose Game 3 struggles have to be considered nothing more than a hiccup -- he had not allowed a run in 14 1/3 previous postseason innings -- would be pitching on regular rest, and the Sox would have all hands on deck should Beckett falter in Game 7.
But that's a matter for tomorrow. Today, we're still cherishing yesterday. And remembering yet again that it's never a bad idea to take Big Papi's words to heart.
* * *
As for today's Completely Random Baseball Card:
The Rays' unlikely relief ace (well, until last night) didn't look quite so menacing in his Twins days, did he? (Check out those ERAs before this season. Huh.)
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Stayed tuned in for the entire game - on the west coast, that's not so hard when a "late" ends around 9:00. I grew up in Maine, a lifelong Sox fan, and my Vancouver friends love to take shots at me when the Sox are down. So when things were not looking great through 6 innings last night, there was no way I could turn the game off - no way I would give my friends that satisfaction. I keep telling them (as I did in 2004 & 2007), it doesn't matter when you score the runs, only that you score more than the opponent; and it doesn't matter when you win the games, only that you win 4 in the series. No reason to panic last night. The Rays have been playing above their heads statistically, and the Sox below. I felt confident that a return to a more normal center of gravity was coming.
I like Beckett in Game 6 - a pissed off competitor - against Shields. If Shields is shakey early, the situation will only get more tense for the Rays ("how can this be happening to us?"). And Lester for Game 7 - who wouldn't want that? McCarver & Buck are already writing their story lines about Boston's improbable route to the World Series...
My only disappointment in all of this is that I have to watch two more games from the ugliest ballpark on the planet.
I like
I didn't turn off the tube and go to bed, but I fell asleep in front of the tube somewhere in the 6th inning. I live in the Atlantic time zone and I blame Bud Selig for these late game times. When I woke up it was around 2 AM, I did the obligatory check of the sports ticker for the final score. A stunning sight.
You're right about Balfour, what is up with that guy? Does it have anything to do with that most unfortunate name he has? I don't know, but in this series he has granted some ball fours and he has also granted some serious taters.
I disagree with you Chad about the pitching order. Since we have to win BOTH games, it really doesn't matter who pitches when. I realize what you are saying about the pen, but what difference does it make which game they use the pen in? If Lester is going to pitch "lights out" then we can use the pen in game 6 or 7.
Besides which, how 'bout we start Becket in game 6 with a short leash and have Paul Byrd ready in the wings. That way we won't have to have our bullpen used much since he can pitch the whole game himself if need be. Besides, I live in Tampa now and have tics to game 7. Go Sox!!!
It was great. I never go to sleep before a game is over...even some of those 15 inning, 5+ hour games. I did get up from my chair in my living room to go into my home office to turn on the tv and my computer. Just had to know what the Globe was writing about this game as it went along. Pretty much what I expected. nothing positive happening, nothing positive to report. Then as I am reading with one eye on the television a miracle happened. Love Pedey and was glad he kept us from a big fat zero but didn't really expect much more from the team. Then Big Papi hit his 3 run blast and I knew we were winning that game. Go Sox!
thanks for keeping the faith, Ken. I'm also a life long Sox fan. Living on the East coast, though, it was too hard to hang in (5:30 comes a little early during these late games!) and I shamefully admit that I gave up my precious Sox for dead in the top of the 7th (although in my own defense, I simply could not stand to listen to McCarver and Buck for one more darn second). As if I shouldn't have known better after all these years (even pre-2004). Never, ever give up on this team.
I can't say that I'm not concerned about Beckett tomorrow...only a fool would admit that. I agree with you, though, that he will be coming out with a HUGE chip on his shoulder and something to prove!
Great post, Dirt. Gotta admit, I quit on them after Papelbon gave up the two-run double. In fact, I almost posted a comment ripping their lack of heart. But for some reason I resisted. Man, I'm glad I did. I still feel like a dick for bailing. Should've known better.
By the way, Darling's comment about Rays hitters being too comfortable in the box resonates, especially Upton who has set up shop over the inner third. Let's hope Beckett has the gas to back him and the other young-ins off.
Dude! You better be putting up a Hendu card between now and tomorrow night.
How could Lester emotionally 'pitch his heart out' in game 6 - knowing Beckett might collapse again in game 7??? Same goes for the rest of the team. If Beckett's gonna pitch anyway, let it be game 6. I'd rather have Lester in a game 7 scenario at this point, wouldn't you? If we don't get to game 7...we don't deserve it. It's a team game. Always has been.
Just wanna say about those freaking cowbells....... I've been to Tropicana, 4 times now and there is nothing more annoying than those cowbells. If we win can we make them eat them? Some team, so proud, excited and thrilled to be a member of Red Sox Nation.
Yup, made it through the whole game, though we did turn the sound off for a while after they were down 5-0... turned it back up after Papi's HR. :D
"ugliest ballpark on the planet"
No kiddin'. That place should be fixed up and then demolished.
I was watching the game on espn gamecast on my computer becuz I was at work in Idaho, so it wasn't late and I had 12 hrs to kill........I finally gave up and resigned myself to the idea that the Sox were done for this yr, hoping that this move would be a reverse jinx, if ya know what I mean. I minimized the screen and went about my business. Little while later I started getting calls but was in no mood to answer cuz I knew it was friends(?) calling to rub it in.......I went to the computer to see the final score and it was 7-6 in the bottom of the 8th, and we all know what happened after that....My fellow employees thought i had lost my mind when I started jumping around and screaming when Drew came through. . . Feel sorry for those fans that left the game too early and others who turned off their TV's and went to bed only to wake up and find out it was the greatest comeback ever.....OK only in 79 yrs, but to me it was the greatest ever........Go Sox!!!!!!
My plan was to watch until the last sad out, then turn off the TV before having to watch those smug little TB creeps jump all over each other and Jonathon's dance pad. NOT SO FAST.
Good for Papi and Coco and Kotsay. As for Drew, good for him too, but watching the TBS interview after the game I wondered, have I ever seen a more bloodless and annoyed-looking sports hero? Ice cold in the center of the joyous pandemonium. Belichekian and very weird. Chilling, in fact.
Hey Chad, great post. I am a radio listener, and not a TV guy, it saves the suffering of McCarver et als, and Sager's rediculous wardrobe. This was one of the most exciting and fun games I have ever heard Joe C do play by play. Soooooo thankful that Dale Arnold did not have the big play innings. Just lacks the change in octaves that Joe brings. The real fan experience to the 10th power. The best since Roberts stole second then scored. Still number one. I feel positive about Beckett and then solid on Lester. We get Wales and it ends. Doin good ain't got no end. (Josey Wales). I think it may be appropriate to break out the following cards, Hendu, Dave Roberts, Bill Mueller, Bellhorn, and Julio Valdez (because sometimes it is random). GO SOX!
I did not make it past the 2-bagger off of paps in the 7th. I almost -- almost -- turned it back on before going to bed, but decided that if they won, then I'd be happy in the morning. And if they lost, then I'd not missed anything.
Prophetic, if you ask me.....
we both are glad that you refuse to award james shields his ridiculous and undeserved nickname because it is absurd. how many big games has he pitched in? HE'S NEVER BEEN TO THE POSTSEASON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and then you have josh beckett who has been an absolute stud in life when he's not trying to pitch with a not-torn-but-seriously-ripped olique, and he is somehow getting no respect at all. (although we both agree tito is a bum for refusing to switch him and lester.) melchi wants to talk now: BIG CHAD COME INTO THE OFFICE FOR THE GAME I'M WORKING THE LATE SHIFT BUT I'M OBVIOUSLY GOING TO BROWN BAG SOME HIGH LIFES AT THE DESK NEED YOU HERE BROTHA.
As a big Sox fan who grew up in the shadow of Fenway Park and now lives in San Francisco I can honestly say I never gave up. Having experienced the Impossible Dream in 67 together with the many ups and downs since I am proud to say following the SOX never been dull. I believe they can do it again and I also believe Josh and Jon will pitch the two best games of their lives. Whatever happens I still say this team is better and has more heart now that Manny is gone!
lifelong fan and yup, watched every second
INCREDIBLE
bringing Papelbon in the 7th was HUGE, great move
sooo good to see Pops get a dinger, a 3 run homa to boot
and JD, wow, what can you say, this cat is as smooth/calm as they come
Pedey, love that gritty lil scrapper & Youk, YOUK ...
Coco, what a pro and sooo deserved that moment of glory
glad they never dealt him, his presence is huge
... it goes on ...
Terry looks like a genius
W O W
ANOTHER magical night it was at the Fens
really like our chances for game6
r-e-m-a-r-k-a-b-l-e
GO SOX
Not prophetic, DCHusky. Pathetic.
Josey Wales rocks. I was half watching the game and half playing on my computer, had the tv sound down and listening on the radio. If I was only watching the game like earlier in the series I might have turned it off... When Pedie knocked in the first run I thought ohyeahright well at least it won't be a shutout. Then came Papi and I was really paying attention... Coco's at-bat was so long, in between pitches I ran over to where my stuffed Wally sits and gave him a quick talking-to and pat on the head, and then it was tied... My favorite part of the night was Papi attempting the bunt - he has *got* to lay one down against that shift.
Didn't turn it off, though I did keep it on mute until Papi's 3-run blast. Got a call from my Mom in NH (I'm working in North Dakota), and kept her on once I saw the Papi blast (man, that was beautiful). To her credit, she stayed on the entire time while I'm screaming at the top of my lungs and swearing at BJ Upton (I wish a cheetah would run onto the field and devour him and his gazelle-like running) until he finally missed a fly ball - the Mark Kotsay double. Now I'm going to call her tonight and keep the mojo going, sooner or later she'll be tired of hearing my hoarse voice.
don't ignore the karma. HENDU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Anyone see Fever Pitch.... This was life imitating art in my house Thursday night, argument and all. Fortunately without the breakup though. lol. Go Sox.
I WAS THERE!!!! You can bet I stayed-- those people leaving after the seventh are hating themselves now...
The sports karma gods will get Shields and Rays for the blasphemous nickname. There are only 2 Big Game James: Worthy and Posey.
It's already worked twice. Hope you have 5 more Hendu cards up your sleeve. Toppa
Josh 'BIGGER GAME' Beckett did exactly what Tito trusted him to do.
Now we have Lester with an extra day's rest for game 7. Maybe some day we'll just let Tito do what he's paid to do...it's worked out pretty well the last few years, eh?
My mom turned it over to watch CSI. After that ended I told her to put it back on as it could very well be the last game until spring training. All I wanted was a run. I got tired of hearing about 1918 being the last time we were shut out in the postseason. I thought everything related to 1918 ended 4 years ago. Guess not.
I hoped for one last Papi home run for old times sake. Got that and things started looking pretty good. I wanted the win Thursday to show the Rays that you do not celebrate until the final out is made. Do they not remember the Garko "the champagne tastes as good away as it does at home" comment? The Rays seemed far cockier than the Indians ever were. I went from thinking Timlin would pitch the 9th as his swan song to thinking we had a chance and Timlin would remain on the bench.
Saturday's win was great and I am keeping my fingers crossed that we can pull this off. It comes down to one game and I hope Lester can pitch like he's pitched all season, Papi crushes another home run, and BJ Upton strikes out every time he comes up to bat.
wow, nico, where's the love?...we're all sharing here...
Frankly, if going to bed in the 7th means they win, my takeaway is to get more sleep.
enjoy the game
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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.
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