ICK!

Another gross, cold rainy day here. BUT - only one week until Truck Day!

In honor of both, here's a little crazy Papelbon magic - "Blame it on the Rain"

The Softer Side of Pap

I don't have much to say - but I had to get that picture of Jeter pushed down farther!

So to cleanse the palate, I offer this absolutely adorable picture of RS closer Jonathan Papelbon and his daughter, Parker. Aww.

Day off today - the last off-day of the regular season. Which means the season is winding down, which I find both hard to believe and depressing. BUT, we do have a 4 game lead in the Wild Card Race - so hopefully the Sox will be playing deep into October.

Victory!

Globe photo

This is how I felt at 12:53 pm today. After almost three hours of watching eight different screens refresh every 30 seconds, I saw it. The Red Sox ticketing screen!! I quickly whipped out my list of proposed games, and ran through the proposed places to sit. Within five minutes, I was out - poorer, but on my way to five games this year at Fenway: May 22 & 24th vs. the New York Mets, and July 24, 25 & 26th vs. the Baltimore Orioles. I think I got pretty good seats - mostly in Loge Boxes. Weirdly, I'm sitting in the same seat I did for one game in 2006! And last year, I sat in the LBs on the 1st base side (that's what came up); this year, it's two games on the 3rd base side. Their computerized ticketing process is so strange.

Of course, it's going to be interesting to see who is actually on that team. Jonathan Papelbon (the crazed guy above) signed a one year contract this week, helping Theo Epstein keep his no-arbitration record intact. Paps got himself a sweet deal - well-deserved, IMHO. Also signed to a one-year was my pal Javier Lopez

I heard an interesting stat on the MLB Network this morning. There are only 25 spots left on the 40-man rosters in the Major Leagues this year. And there are currently 90 free agents sitting out there, waiting for an offer. Many pundits are saying we'll see a bunch of "names" opting for retirement soon, rather than being left off any rosters come spring training. So we could see Tom Glavine, Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, and even our captain, Jason Varitek, joining the group that already includes Greg Maddox, Jeff Kent, and (?) Curt Schilling.

Of course, we still need a catcher....

Happy Birthday Paps

Happy Birthday to that crazy Riverdancin' fool, Jonathan Papelbon!!

(Okay, a little bit racy picture - but it's seriously part of the boy's pre-pitch ritual!)

Let's blame it on the rain

So, the Sox lost a much delayed game last night, beaten by the meaningless Yankees 19-8. The rain caused the game to start late, and resulted in another delay mid-game. The Sox loss means the Tampa Bay (Devil) Rays are champions of the AL East - and means we will now play the Angels in the Division Championship series.

But let's not dwell. Instead, let's enjoy Jonathan Papelbon and Manny DelCarmen channeling their inner Milli Vanillis:


And one point to consider: the last time the Sox lost 19-8 to the Yankees? Game 3 of the 2004 ALCS. After that loss, the team went undefeated in the post-season, and won the World Series. Just saying....

Blame it on the Rain

All kinds of awesome goodness here!

Paps & MDC do the Nilli Vanilli thing

Happy Valentine's Day

AP Photo
Yes, it's Valentine's Day. But, more importantly, it's reporting day for the Red Sox pitchers and catchers!! Yah! And here's lil' Jonathan Papelbon meeting the press, ready for another year of closing out victory after victory.

It's like the Thin Lizzy sang on my iPod this morning:

The nights are getting warmer, it won't be long
Won't be long till summer comes
Now that the boys are here again

The boys are back in town

Kyle & Paps

I went looking for this video today - not too easy to find! It's one of Jonathan Papelbon's "Friendly's Scoop" segments from July. It's interview with Kyle Snyder, and it's hysterical for several reasons. Watching these two seriously debating who is the sexiest man on the team (Kyle picks Ortiz)! And be sure and watch Paps' wandering hands!

Baseball soon!

Papelbon on Letterman

VICTORY!!

Getty images

I'll post more later, but all that is important is this: THE RED SOX ARE THE AMERICAN LEAGUE CHAMPIONS!!!

Jonathan Papelbon is the best thing to happen to this team since Kevin Millar. Well, except that Pap is leap years ahead of old Kev on the field! Everybody riverdance!!

There is no jinx (fingers crossed)

I had a sneak peak of this week's SI on their website - awesome article about Mr. Papelbon! And they've captured that closer glare so perfectly.

Magic number 2 - we potentially could clinch the East title tonight. The Yankees sealed up the last playoff spot last night. The sight of them spraying champagne and Torre crying all over the YES reporters....quite a contrast to the subdued and classy way the Red Sox celebrate.

Of course, that decorum could be jettisoned tonight if the Sox realize their pre-season goal of winning the Division.

Random Wednesday Thoughts

Globe Photo by Jim Davis
1) Last night's game against the A's was a slight return to reality after the Yankee series. We actually led 4-0 at one point - but ended up losing in ten innings, 5-4. Jonathan Papelbon had his first blown save of the year. Yes, he's not perfect - which seems to have taken some people by surprise. He was perfect in April - and I guess we thought it would continue. Totally unrealistic, I know. And maybe it'll do him - and us - a world of good to have him fail. And happening this early in the season isn't going to hurt us. That which does not kill us makes us stronger!

2) Mike Lowell is using a new glove. He seems to be punishing his regular game glove for causing him to make errors!

3) One of the sickening parts of last night was seeing Schilling waste a decent outing. He's looking more and more like the Schill of 2004 - which is a fantastic sign.

4) Nick Cafardo has a great article about Terry Francona in today's Globe. His premise is:

But even the skeptical minority would have to say Terry Francona is managing this year about as well as any manager in the history of the franchise.

Hmm.. I agree he's doing a great job managing his players right now. And he's certainly built an impressive track record in the past three years. But I'm going to wait a little bit longer to call him the greatest.

5) When he pitched against us in the 2004 World Series, I knew Julian Tavarez was a little loopy. Punching a wall with your pitching hand as your team is heading into the post-season is NOT a wise or sane decision. And one of the first times we saw him in a Red Sox uniform, he was taking a swing at Joey Gathright. But he continues to endear himself to me. He could be this year's Millar - lightening up the locker room, always with the great quote. Like in today's Herald:

As for his own status, Tavarez is content. “I’m just taking one day at a time and I’m ready for anything. I’ll do anything. If they say clean the office I’ll go clean the office. As long as I have my uniform I’m a member of the Red Sox.”

Aww.

6) Trying not to revel in the Yankees' problems. But I have to admit to feeling a little sorry for their pitchers. They all seem to be wearing a target on their backs. After we broke their started Karstens on Saturday, now their hot prospect Hughes has gone down with a pulled hamstring. Sad too because he was pitching a no-hitter into the 7th. At the time of his call-up, I worried that they were pushing him too soon - that's basically what happened with Hansen last year. But they really had no choice - they have few other options for starting pitching. This will certainly make the Clemens chase interesting.