It would have been great to close out this series last night.  Like really great.  Even better if we had done it before going into extra innings…

Because frankly…the Angels worry me.  They play small ball better than anyone, and right now, the middle of their lineup is like Sarah Palin unstopable (well, before the Couric interviews anyhow).

And if there are any of you out there who are not worried, then God bless you.  You must be fairly new to Red Sox Nation.  Because, having been a Red Sox fan for quite some time, I’m NEVER completely confident.  You’d think that the paranoia and fear of us blowing it would have subsided after ’04 and ’07, but it hasn’t. 

I’m sure there are people out there who said after we won the first two games of the series, that we “owned” the Angels, and that we were coming back to Fenway, and we had it all wrapped up. But consider this: over the course of this season, we have lost 3 games in a row a total of 7 times.  And one of those times just so happened to be against the Angels (at home).

But time to jump off the Zakim, this is not.  There is a great deal of hope for tonight’s game.  We have Jon Lester on the mound, and I for one, am confident that Pedroia will eventually have his “big” game.  Though…in fairness, I told many of my fellow Front Office employees, that last night was going to be that game…

I’m not saying it is time to panic, but you might be wise to hold off booking your flights to Philadelphia or L.A. for now…

We still have one more to win…hopefully tonight.  If for no other reason than the fact that I selfishly really need the sleep, and don’t know if I can do a game 5 on the West Coast.

For what it’s worth, I’m predicting (and obviously based on my prediction last night, this should be held with a great deal of skepticism), that Pedroia will knock in Lowrie for the game winning run tonight – on a wall ball double.

Anybody else have any predictions??

All the best from a very anxious Front Office,

“The Voice”

PS – I just got word that the Ceremonial First Pitch for tonight will be thrown out by a former Red Sox ALDS hero…

Sorry, that’s all the comment I can muster
at this point.

Blogger’s Note: The first pitch for tonight’s game has changed to 7:27pm.

I think I can speak for all of us when I say, thank goodness the team is back on the east coast!  I wound up staying up so late for those west coast games, that my eyes started twitching the following days.  Not a great visual, I know…

Anyhow, the Front Office is pretty quiet right now, but should start getting pretty busy over the course of the next couple of hours, as people start heading in to work.

Personally, I just wish it were 7:27 already…

I’m anxious to see how Beckett does tonight.  And those pesky Angels always scare me with their scrappy play and small ball ways.

Anyhow, I don’t have any pre-game ceremony updates yet, but I hope to be able to get the inside scoop at some point soon!

All the best from inside the Front Office!
“The Voice”

As my man Tony would say….GRRRRRRREAT win last night!!!

A few random thoughts on last night’s game:

1.  As I’m sure many of you did, I felt so bad for Jed, and was praying the game didn’t come down to that error.

2.  Jacoby being “playoff Jacoby”???!  –  I sure hope so, because that’s a great way to kick start our offense.

3.  I don’t know why Lackey threw Bay anything other than an outside curveball, but I’m sure glad he did.

4.  Love Masterson setting up Papelbon.  Even when he got into some trouble, I felt pretty confident.

5.   Amazing play by Youk to get Vlady out at third.  You really have to watch the replay a few times to really appreciate how great of a play that really was.  In particular, watch the way he scoops up the ball (in a singular motion), gets to his feet and hits Lowell in plenty of time.  In an odd way, that play reminded me of when Ortiz threw out Jeff Supan in the 2004 World Series.  Game changing play.

6.  Lester is the man.

7.  10 wins away!!!

As requested by a few of you…below are the pictures from yesterday’s Rally/Team send-off!  Jason Bay, Pedroia, Youk, Tito, and Larry Lucchino all spoke to the crowd before heading off to the airport.

Enjoy!

Brita Meng Outzen/Boston Red Sox

 

Brita Meng Outzen/Boston Red Sox

Brita Meng Outzen/Boston Red Sox

 

 

Brita Meng Outzen/Boston Red Sox

 Megan LaBella/Boston Red Sox

 

 Megan LaBella/Boston Red Sox

 

Brita Meng Outzen/Boston Red Sox

While I wait for the Rally to begin here at the Park, I figured I’d include some more photos from “The Big I” and “The Big LaBellski” from yesterday’s Johnny Pesky ceremony.

Congrats Johnny on a well-deserved recognition!

                   Mike Ivins/Boston Red Sox

 

     Mike Ivins/Boston Red Sox

 

       Mike Ivins/Boston Red Sox

 

Mike Ivins/Boston Red Sox

Gates open at 3:30pm today. FREE hotdogs and soda for the first 2,500 people!  I know a lot of you are too far away to come, but it will be on NESN, so hopefully you can enjoy from afar!

Here’s the official press release:

For Immediate Release

September 27, 2008

 

RED SOX TO HOST POST-SEASON RALLY

PRESENTED BY BANK OF AMERICA LIVE ON NESN

AT FENWAY PARK ON MONDAY

 

The Boston Red Sox will be hosting a Post-Season Rally presented by Bank of America at Fenway Park, which will also be broadcast live on the New England Sports Network (NESN).  The Rally will celebrate Boston’s fifth post-season appearance in the past six years and provide fans with the opportunity to wish the Red Sox good luck as they depart for Anaheim to take on the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 2008 American League Division Series.  The Series commences on Wednesday, October 1, 2008 at Angels Stadium in Anaheim.

 

Fans are invited to come to Fenway Park at 3:30 on Monday, September 29, 2008 and enter Fenway Park through Gate D.  The first 2500 fans to enter the ballpark will receive a coupon good for a free hot dog and soda, compliments of ARAMARK, at the Fenway Park concession stands.

 

The Rally will be hosted by NESN play-by-play commentator Don Orsillo, NESN on-field reporter Heidi Watney and NESN studio analyst and former Red Sox infielder, and Framingham, MA native, Lou Merloni.  The Rally will feature live interviews with Red Sox Principal Owner John W. Henry, Chairman Tom Werner, President/CEO Larry Lucchino, Manager Terry Francona along with several of the Red Sox coaches and players and Bank of America representatives.  Video tributes and montages to the 2008 Red Sox will be shown on the centerfield video board and live entertainment will be presented by local Roxbury band Quest.

 

This will make the fourth time in five years that Boston has had a Post-Season Rally with the 2004 and 2005 events taking place at Fenway Park and the 2007 event taking place at Boston’s City Hall Plaza. The initiative was started by Major League Baseball in 2004 in each city of the eight teams that annually advance to post-season play.

 

The Rally will be shown again on NESN at 8:00 p.m. on Monday night.

 

–RED SOX–

 

 

Blogger’s Note:  Due to some excessive celebrating last night, I’m not sure that I have the cognitive skills required to write something coherent today.  So instead I’m going to use this space to showcase the talents of our Photo Department.  Big thanks to Mike “the Big I” Ivins (self proclaimed “team photographer extraordinaire”) and Megan “the Big LaBellski” LaBella for giving this blog the the first glance at these never before seen photos from last night.

Enjoy! 

               Mike Ivins/Boston Red Sox

 

Nobody was better at this move than the “Million Dollar Man” Ted Dibiase

       Mike Ivins/Boston Red Sox

 

Let’s all just be grateful this cork didn’t get lodged in the back of David’s throat.

Mike Ivins/Boston Red Sox

 

Amazing…simply amazing.  I’ve never been more proud of our Photo Department

    Mike Ivins/Boston Red Sox

 

Wait…strike that.  Now I’ve never been more proud.  This is the happiest grown man (quality of coloring on the sign notwithstanding) I’ve ever seen. 

   Megan LaBella/Boston Red Sox

 

As my old Physics teacher would say…”there’s a tremendous amount of torque being applied to that champagne bottle”  Who do you think won this battle??

   Mike Ivins/Boston Red Sox

 

It was glorious.

       Megan LaBella/Boston Red Sox

 

It’s official.  I just snuck my way down to the press conference to see the momentous occasion for myself.

Johnny Pesky’s #6 is going to be formally retired on Friday night prior to our game vs. the Yankees.

I’m interested to see what you all think of this move by the organization.  Of course, we all know that for many years there had been formal rules as to who could have their number retired (you had to have played for the Sox for a minimum of 10 years, retired as a member of the Boston Red Sox, and been enshrined in the National Baseball Hall of Fame).

But for those of you who might think that an exception should not have been made for Pesky, consider this, he has been a member of the organization for 57 total years.  He hit over 200 hits in each of his first three seasons (which by the way, were interrupted by 3 years in WWII).

Brian Babineau/Boston Red Sox

Anyhow…I’m VERY interested to hear what you think, why you think it, and who (if anyone else) you think should have their number retired.  Boggs?  Rice?  Cy Young?  Pedro?  Tiant?

Can’t wait to read what you think!

So, as I mentioned in my e-newsletter (which, if you haven’t yet signed up for it…it’s completely FREE and can be signed up for here), I’m reserving this blog space for a listing of our players’ entrance/walk-up songs.  Without further ado…

Position Players:

Ellsbury – “Cherub Rock”, Smashing Pumpkins

Coco – “Sexy Can I”, by Ray J, featuring Yung Berg, and “Lollipop” by Lil’ Wayne

Bay – “Alive”, Pearl Jam

Drew – no music by choice

Kotsay – “Low”, Flo Rida

Ortiz – just gave us a CD and said play track 18.  He also has “Get Buck in Here” by DJ Felli Fel

Varitek – “Kryptonite”, 3 Doors Down

Bailey – “Moby Dick”, Led Zeppelin

Pedroia – “**** wit Dre Day”, Dr. Dre

Youkilis – “Push It To The Limit”, Rick Ross

Lowell – “Iron Man”, Black Sabbath

Lowrie – “The Kids Aren’t Alright”, The Offspring

Casey – “Even Flow”, Pearl Jam

 

Pitchers:

Byrd – “I Am Free”, Newsboys

Aardsma – “Bodies”, Drowning Pool

Delcarmen – “I’m From Boston”, by a band that we don’t know.  He brought us a CD

Timlin – “Black Betty”, Ram Jam

Okajima – “The Oki-Doki”, by ?

Papelbon – “Wild Thing”, The Troggs then “I’m Shipping Up To Boston”, Dropkick Murphys

Beckett – “Rockstar”, Nickelback

Wakefield – “How Bad Do You Want It”, Tim McGraw

Lester – “I Use What I Got”, Jason Aldean

Matsuzaka – “Real World”, Exile

 

So, if you’ve been away from Fenway Park for a while, the take-away from the above, is that Delcarmen and Papelbon do not use “Blame it on the Rain” as their entrance song.

 

And last but not least…the Magic Number for us to clinch a playoff spot now stands at 5.  Any combination of our wins and the Twins losses that add up to 5 will mean that we have clinched at least the Wild Card.  And as our friends at the MA State Lottery always say…you’ve got to be in it to win it!

 

All the best from Inside the Front Office,

“The Voice of the Nation”