A Debt of Gratitudes

I would like to thank the avid Bottom of the Ninth readers for their continued reading, and I would also like to apologize for the lack of post this morning. Minor emergency/miracle to tend to. The birth of my 2nd child is upon us and although it has not quite happened yet I could not be prouder of the way my Emily has handled herself being in and out of hospitals during the pregnancy.

Let's get down to brass tacks here now people. Most of you that read this are Red Sox fans but hopefully (If my writing has done anything, and I'm not counting on it) you are baseball fans first and foremost. I would like to extend a gargantuan congratulation to the Yankee *gasp* Captain Derek Jeter for tying the Iron Horse, Lou Gehrig, for 1st all time on the Yankee hit list. If I could make one team of the best baseball players in the history of the game, I'm putting Derek Jeter as the STARTING shortstop. My favorite all time shortstop, and that's saying a lot since the uber popular, demigod/sex symbol that was Nomar Garciaparra OCD'd his way around these parts for MANY toe-tapping years. For more on this pseudo-Yankee orgy read this.

Being a coach/manager myself, I ALWAYS try to listen to Terry Francona whenever he gives interviews. EVERY Wednesday he speaks at 12:02 PM to Dale & Holley on WEEI and I tuned in as I usually did. Dustin Pedroia may want to throw a few of the next games of cribbage with 'Ol Skip after the compliments he was doling out his way. The question was if he had ever seen a player as competitive as Michael Jordan (whom he coached when Jordan decided that being the best in the world at one sport wasn't good enough). The two players he named were Pete "Charlie Hustle" Rose and Dustin Pedroia. It doesn't get much better than that, our diminutive leader, but another hearty congratulations goes out to another deserving player!

It wasn't long ago that a certain Latin American born player, whom had a flair for the dramatics, perused our clubhouse with such an elegant grace and confidence. We are now seeing the emergence of the new switch hitting version of Big Papi and it is the most reassuring thing to know that when Victor Martinez is up at the plate that nothing can go wrong. It has been a few years since that confidence was instilled in us Sox fans but, as they say, DAMN IT FEELS GOOD TO BE A GANGSTA. There are players known as, Big Papi, El Caballo, and even El Hombre but ladies and gentleman you are about to witness the birth of a new nickname. Mr. October and The Man move over, Señor Embrague, or Mr. Clutch has just set foot on the hallowed grounds of Fenway Park.

For some reason that gnats that are the Texas Rangers, are sill pestering the everliving piss out of us. And with Derek Holland having a Cy Young like season as a rookie this race is FAR from over. That being said the Tampa Bay Longorias are coming to The Fens for a weekend set, and we have to take 2 out of three. From here on out, every series has to be won by the Red Sox. Even the series against the seemingly impenetrable Bronx Bombers in order to cement our spot in October. For some reason a play-in game seems to be a-brewin and I don't want to put an "upstart" team in the position of underdog. Come out in droves Sox fans, I've got pennant fever, and the only cure is more W's!

Stay Tuned
Ryan