The Globe's top 10 local stories for 2006
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1. Red Sox sign Daisuke Matsuzaka
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He needed a few years to become a legend in Japan, but just a few hours to touch off hysteria in Boston. The MVP of Japan’s victorious Olympic team in 2004 and World Baseball Classic in 2006, ‘‘The Monster’’ is a 26-year-old righthander who reportedly has command of six pitches. He did not come cheaply, however. The Red Sox bid $51.1 million just to win the rights to negotiate with him, then dished out a $52 million contract for six years.
There was an unparalleled stretch of coaching success with the Celtics — eight straight NBA titles, nine in 10 years — and when he moved to the front office and orchestrated seven more championships, Red Auerbach was cemented forever as an icon. But truly, the grandest tribute anyone could pay to the 89-year legend was that he virtually invented professional basketball with his uncanny ability to get players to buy into a style of unselfishness.
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3. Theo Epstein returns to Red Sox
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It was a winter soap opera the likes of which hadn’t been seen since the days of Chuck Fairbanks (‘‘I quit’’) and Billy Sullivan (‘‘No, you’re fired’’). Theo was gone in an apparent tussle with Larry Lucchino. Ben Cherington and Jed Hoyer were in. But as the winter chill stiffened, wounds healed. Epstein and Lucchino agreed they could work together, so back he came, and just like that, Cherington and Hoyer were no longer co-general managers.
The revolving doors at Causeway Street worked overtime during the summer months, initiated by the firing of general manager Mike O’Connell and the retirement of president-forever Harry Sinden. After a bid to land Fred Shero dissolved, the Bruins settled on GM Peter Chiarelli, who settled on a new coach. Hello, Dave Lewis, goodbye Mike Sullivan. Throw in new faces Zedeno Chara, Paul Mara, and Marc Savard and it’s the ultimate new regime.
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5. Rookie stars Jon Lester, Phil Kessel diagnosed with cancer
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In each case, it came without warning, but that’s the way bad news is. Lester, a 22-year-old lefthander who was 7-2 with a 4.76 ERA in 15 games for the Red Sox, was diagnosed with a form of large cell lymphoma after complaining of back pain in August. Kessel, 19, a speedy left winger, underwent surgery for testicular cancer in December. By mid-December, both young men were declared cancer-free.
As if the club-record and league-leading 54 home runs weren’t enough, what solidified 2006 as a most memorable season for the Red Sox’ DH was his flair for the dramatic. Five times he ended a game with the winning hit — three of them walk-off home runs — adding to his career totals (15 and 9) that were worthy of a plaque given to him by teammates. It declared Ortiz ‘‘to be the greatest clutch hitter in the history of the Boston Red Sox,’’ and no one will argue.
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7. Red Sox swept away by Yankees at Fenway
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The numbers were staggering — 49 runs and 62 hits — but it was a much smaller one (6Æ) that told the story of New York’s humiliating five-game bombardment in mid-August at Fenway Park. That was how many games the Red Sox had fallen behind the Yankees after their pitching allowed double-figures in runs in three of the games. It began with a day-night doubleheader sweep on Friday (12-4, 13-5) and only got worse.
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8. Patriots bounced out of playoffs by Broncos
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They were attempting to turn it into an NFL first — three straight Super Bowl wins — but instead, the Patriots merely turned it over. They fumbled a handoff (Kevin Faulk), kickoff (Ellis Hobbs), and punt (Troy Brown), and even watched Champ Bailey intercept and return a Tom Brady pass 101 yards as Denver turned four of five turnovers into 24 points. The 27-13 loss halted New England’s NFL-record 10-game playoff winning streak.
You can’t keep them all. That’s the way of the salary-cap NFL world, but neither do you expect to take a hit like the Patriots did when 2005 shut down. Disconcerting was the departure of defensive coordinator Eric Mangini; shocking described the feeling when Adam Vinatieri accepted a free agent deal from the Colts. Linebacker Willie McGinest (Cleveland) and wideout David Givens (Tennessee) also took free agent offers elsewhere, then wideout Deion Branch (Seattle) was traded.
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10. Tom O’Brien departs BC
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In the end, a two-day courtship with North Carolina State officials convinced the 58-year-old that his 10 years at BC were over. O’Brien’s tenure had produced more wins (75) than any other BC football coach, but he was haunted in recent years by losses in just about every important game. The Eagles named Packers offensive coordinator Jeff Jagodzinski to succeed O’Brien, who won’t be around to coach his team’s eighth straight bowl game.
