Jacoby gets his SAG card

Apparently, Jacoby Ellsbury had some time to kill yesterday afternoon. So, finding himself in downtown "Salem," he stopped into the Java Cafe for a coffee:


(This was just after the guy on the right said threateningly, "I wish I had a baseball bat in my hand right now!")
My favorite shot was this one:
Guess, Jacoby found a few local Red Sox fans to chat up!

(Screen caps taken from "Days of Our Lives," 6-18-09

In Navajo, "Jacoby" means "awesome"

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

I'm still recovering from the weekend's games. After those two marathons on Friday and Saturday, last night's game was only 3+ hours. Yet it provided what is arguably the top moment of the season so far. In the fifth, Jacoby Ellsbury stole home plate! It's something you rarely see tried - never mind done successfully - so it was an electric moment at Fenway. The crowd went absolutely nuts - and rewarded Ells with a very rare (for Fenway) curtain call.

The whole weekend series felt like October not April. If these games are a preview of what we can expect this year from our Sox, I think I better being taking power naps in the afternoon and stock the refrigerator!

Jacoby

Photo by Sittingstill, of course!

Would loved to have grabbed this photo, but was so stunned by him, I couldn't get the camera out. Thanks, Kelly! Gulp.

Jacoby is Voguing

(Richard Phibbs for Men's Vogue)

So little Jacoby Ellsbury is appearing in the new issue of Men's Vogue (on newstands today). The Globe has a good article - and you can read the full text of Vogue's article here. Unfortunately, no pictures with the online article - but the Globe gave us a sneak peak with the above photo. Yum.

I love a parade!

Here's some video of Jacoby Ellsbury being welcomed back to his hometown of Madras, Oregon. They had a big parade for their "hero," and this video includes an interview with his mom. Some really touching stuff!

World Series Game 3: Rookies Rock!

Aren't our Rookies awesome? Last night, behind the tag team of Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedrioa, the Sox beat the Rockies in Game 3 of the World Series, giving the team a "breath-taking" three game lead in the best of seven series. It was the longest 9-inning World Series game in history - 4 hours, 19 minutes! It was an exciting game - for the most part. The Sox scored 6 runs in the 3rd (including a 2-rbi single for pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka, who was 0-4 this year) , and looked to be cruising. But the Rockies countered with 2 in the 6th, and 3 in the 7th. Oki came in with two on to face Holliday, and gave up a first pitch 3 run homer. Ugh. But he settled right back down, struck out two and got the third out on a ground ball back to the mound. Papelbon came in for the last four outs - and cue "Dirty Water."

The stars of the game were our four rookies. Center fielder Jacoby Ellsbury - 4 for 5, with 3 doubles and 2 rbis.

AP Photo

Second baseman Dustin Pedrioa - 3 for 5, with 2 rbis

Photo from Boston Herald

Pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka - 5.1 innings pitched, 101 pitches, 2 runs, 3 hits, 5 strikeouts - and 2 rbis -
Boston Globe photo

Hideki Okajima - 1 IP, 1 run, 2 hits, 2 ks

AP Photo

Our Rookies > Their Rockies

I'm afraid to say too much about tonight's game four, lest I jinx them. But the Sox looked very overpowering last night, and the Rockies looked pretty shellshocked. Everything they threw up at the Sox, the Sox handled. Even in the Rockies manage to win tonight, I don't see them coming back with four straight wins. But, stranger things have happened (see also: Red Sox- Cleveland ALCS)

Tonight we've got our feel-good story of the year starting. Jon Lester - as has been much documented elsewhere - survived lymphoma last year, and bounced back in fantastic fashion. There's a voice inside me that things this is how it was meant to me - an incredible season of Red Sox baseball; a near knock-out in the ALCS, only to come back and plow through the Indians; and now, a potential sweep of the Rockies in the World Series, behind the pitching of our miracle man.

Let's go Red Sox!!!

Labor Day - Yowsah!

What an awesome weekend of baseball. Friday night wasn't so good, but after that it was all the stuff of highlight reels. Buchholz' no hitter on Saturday, the performance by our Rookies on Sunday, and an early lead on Monday...

Sunday's game featured some of our rookie talent pool. Jacoby Ellsbury had an awesome catch in center, as well as his first major league homerun. Young gun Jon Lester pitched really well. Pedroia once again showed why he is a serious contender for Rookie of the Year. And "rookie" Okajima rescued the team in the 8th. Plus Pap in the 9th .... it was way cool.

Tonight, we've got Matsuzaka pitching - and writing now in the 4th, we've gotten 5 runs for him. Oops - as I write, they've gone up 7-1. This team is awesome - and I'm so excited to see how this month unfolds