JD Drew and Bobby Kielty at Wednesday’s Workout
Photo by Bill Greene at the Boston Globe
In 2005, when the Sox were swept by the White Sox, I was bummed to see them out of the playoffs so early – but I was relieved as well. The team was worn out and as far as they could go that year would just end badly eventually. So they spared us a lot of anxiety but getting out early. 🙂
And last year, well that was just a disaster of an end of the season and another instance in which I thought, "fine, just get it over".
The affects from the 2004 ALCS were still fresh in my mind.
Which is why folks in Cleveland need to forgive Sox fans if it seems most of us have been more focused on the Yankees getting booted than the upcoming ALCS. We’re dealing with a lot of emotions here. Not the least of which, for me, is downright joy knowing that the ALCS won’t be turned into some sideshow by Fox and ESPN and every reporter in the country who covers baseball. The Red Sox will be playing in a series where folks will be focusing on the BASEBALL and not the ‘history’ or ‘rivalry’ or ‘mystique’. It’s an exciting but practically foreign concept for many of us.
I believe this series won’t be a cake walk. The Indians are, obviously, quite good and after taking down the Yankees I don’t see them resting on that. So they’ll be tough. But the Red Sox are tough too. And hungry.
Oh, and pretty damned talented in their own right. There’s that too.
For all my complaining about him this year, Tito has shown again that he knows what he’s doing. He’s handled the team well, thus far, in the playoffs and showed us that resting his players can actually produce great results. 🙂
I’m excited for tomorrow to get here and a little annoyed that we had to wait so long. Four days without Red Sox baseball is a long time. Man, what am I going to do in the off-season?
D’Backs/Rockies start tonight and you can still get good seats for the game! Get your butts out there D’Backs fans (or Rockies fans who can find their way to Arizona quickly enough). These should be some good games!
There’s a headline on the Indians’ website that reads "Nixon carries culture of ’04 Red Sox to Indians". With this blurb:
Trot Nixon may not play as prominent a role for the 2007 Indians as he did for the ’04 Red Sox, but it didn’t take long for the renegade mind-set that defined Nixon’s old club to spread to his new one. An ALCS meeting only adds to the drama between the two.
I love the idea that Cleveland wants to recreate the 2004 Red Sox. I also an enjoying knowing it will never be done. Not even with THIS Sox team. Find your OWN identity, Cleveland, and embrace it. You’ve earned, at least, that much.
Looking over the Cleveland roster, I see no ‘enemy’, just a bunch of good players who should help make this series fun to watch. I still think my guys are going to best them eventually, but at least I don’t plan on seven days of anxiety while they do it!
I’m proud of what the team has accomplished so far and plan on building on that pride throughout the month!
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