Wild Things

Congratulations Boston Red Sox. I love saying that at the end of the season. It's either Wild Card or Groovy Banner, it's ALL good!
12 years* 6 months ago the Sox opened in Japan against the Athletics. I thought then, that it was unfair to both teams to have to break camp early and play on a different planet. I felt like someone had stacked the deck against the Red Sox. With that kind of start {and the injuries} and the sensitivity that Dice K has to travel, I figured we, the Nation, had a good excuse if they failed to make the playoffs. The really weird thing is that I wasn't that worried. Truly, we own the wild card. It's a given. It's ours {if we go one step beyond, we get the groovy banner} It's a habit. You know, like Arod choking.
I have been teased by a friend, all year about the DEVIL Rays. "Hey! When are they gonna die?? You said they would fold! What? Sox can't beat the Ray of sunshine??" ** The DEVIL Rays surprised me. But thanks to them, I can't even respect what they have accomplished as a team this season. Had they just played and talked about what a great feeling it is to be out of the cellar... Nope, what they had to do was get all uppity. Cocky. Smug. They beat us at the Trop and then played "Sweet Caroline" while the Sox Faithful filed out of that vile, sorry excuse for a ball park. They brought a knife to a fist fight. So, it comes down to one game. Am I worried? Nope. "We" played all season, hurt, tired, distracted and stayed in second place through it all.*** The DEVIL Rays season was an aberration. A cosmic mistake. For those of you following "Fringe"... a butterfly effect. I'm not worried. One game or another, we still playing in October. "Excuse me, Mr. Jeter? Can I carry that golf bag for you?"
I really can't help but wonder, what if:

• Papi didn't hurt his wrist.
• Mike didn't hurt his hip.
• Tek didn't mess with his swing and slump.
• Drew didn't hurt his back.
• Buchholtz didn't implode
• Oki didn't lose his pitch location
• Lugo didn't tear his quad... stop laughing!
• Schilling didn't hurt his shoulder.
• Colon didn't hurt his back during interleague play... {and lose his everlovingmind in the process}
• Ellsbury didn't doubt himself out of identifying pitches.
• Timlin didn't cut his finger and hurt his knee after that
• Coco didn't cut his hair****
• Everybody didn't get the flu... and strep throat... and the flu again.
• Manny had just been Manny and not listened to "Boris the Spider".

So much happened this season and the Red Sox just owned 2nd place. It blows my mind. Really, What if ???? Can you imagine? What ever happens, I'm proud of the Red Sox, everyone of them. The 9 on the field, the band in the Pirate Ship. The Dudes on the bench, always ready. The skipper, the owners, the mascot, the beer guys... everyone of them. Excellent work. You guys did enough to get a us a few more games before summer is officially over.*****


* It sure feels like it was 12 years ago! It has been a very long season.
** My ex friend survived his initial injuries and my court ordered house arrest would have ended on Monday, however... police say the know for a fact that my house was the last place he was seen alive... I might need some help with bail...
*** Second is the new first ;-)

****He has forgotten the bible school story of Sampson!
*****Last day of summer is in Novenbah! Fascist calandar