Signs of Spring

Photo courtesy of Kelly O'Connor/sittingstill.smugmug.com and used with permission

This weekend, baseball season begins in Boston!

Truck Day isn’t until February 8th, but this weekend we get two events that have become the annual signs of Spring:  The Hot Stove/Cool Music concert at the Paradise (and the roundtable discussion the day before at Fenway Park) and the New Stars for Young Stars charity event at Jillian’s.  The Hot Stove events benefit Theo Epstein’s Foundation to be Named Later and the New Stars event benefits the Jimmy Fund.  You can’t go wrong either way.

Bronson Arroyo (along with pretty much the same group of musicians who appear every year) will, once again, be at the Hot Stove concert as well as this year’s roundtable (which happens tonight at 6pm).  I said this last year and then decided at the last minute to stop in just to see Bronson since he started off the show, but I won’t be going to the concert this year.  I’ll be at the New Stars event tomorrow morning at Jillian’s.

Also at the New Stars event?  A not-so-new star, Mr. Bill Mueller.

Now the point of the New Stars event is, in part, to introduce the young players to the Boston sports scene as much as it is to introduce the fans to the new crop of players coming to town.  We get to see the new kids and they get to see how crazy passionate Red Sox fans are.  But along with the new, young players, they like to throw in one that guarantees the folks will show for the charity event.  Last year it was Trot Nixon.  This year, Mr. Mueller.  As much as I thoroughly enjoy seeing the new blood (Bronson Arroyo, Justin Masterson, Jonathan Papelbon and Jed Lowrie were past attendees, just to name a handful) I can’t lie – the idea of getting to shake Bill Mueller’s hand and thank him for owning Mariano Rivera and helping to bring us 2004 is making my heart beat just a little faster today.

Sure we still had in him 2005, but in 2004, Mueller didn’t make it to the celebration parade and many fans have lamented not having the opportunity to properly thank him.  Guess what, peeps?  Now is your chance.  It is also your chance to welcome (and in some cases welcome BACK) Jarrod Saltalamacchia, Robert Coello, Tim Federowicz, Jason Rice, Ryan Kalish, Darnell McDonald, Will Middlebrooks, Jeremy Hazelbaker, Ryan Lavarnway and Dan Wheeler (according to the website…this list could be altered at any time).

As if these two events weren’t enough, in between the New Stars event and the Hot Stove concert, the Sons of Sam Horn are hosting an event at Boston Beer Works that might appeal to those of you who have been lurking at SoSH and were hoping to some day become approved members.  From 5:30pm to 8:30pm you can join SoSH at the March to 100K Launch Party.

Recently, SoSH lost a beloved member when John Wells passed away at the age of 44.   In his memory, SoSH decided to launch a year-long fundraising event, hoping to raise (at least) $100,000 for the Jimmy Fund in 2011.   SoSH suggests a $10 dollar donation to tomorrow’s event at Boston Beer Works and, according to the latest update on SoSH, if you are a lurker,  you will be upgraded to member just for attending.

So along with being the annual sign that baseball is around the corner, this weekend is also a time for Red Sox Nation to give a little back.  You have many choices in how you can do that, all with benefits to you as well!  So go shake Bill Mueller’s hand, or listen to The Lemonheads or just have a beer with your favorite member of SoSH…and in the process help support some very worthy causes.