Bob_Ward's Blog

Just watched the Boston Red Sox finish off the Oakland A's 6-5 live from Tokyo, Japan in the season opener. What an awesome way to start the 2008 campaign.

But is it me, or is everything a bit off?

It's 9:50AM and I can already tell this is going to be a very, very strange day.

Here's Ten Reasons why:

1. I was more tired at the start of the game, than I am now. Usually, when I'm lucky enough to be home to watch a game (I work nights), I'm nodding off around the 7th, only to rally for the 9th.

This morning, I came in during the 2nd, and I could hardly keep my eyes open. This was a good thing because Dice-K was not pitching well, and we were losing 2-nothing.

And as my morning haze broke, things just kept getting weirder.

2. How about a complete lack of hitting early on? OK, it's only the first game of the season, no reason to panic. It’s just me being a bleary eyed Red Sox fan. This was not a pretty game to watch in the first few innings.

3. Every time they showed the fans in the stands, I'd see row after row of Japanese people, all wearing Red Sox gear. Yeah, I know they are playing in Japan, but it's a strange sight. A couple of years ago I was lucky enough to vacation in Maui, Hawaii, and I flew the team colors with my lucky Sox hat. Everyone else seemed to be wearing the dreaded NY caps. But now? THEY ARE IN JAPAN and I see RED SOX hats! Wonder if Hank (RSN denier) Steinbrenner noticed or if George is rolling over in his grave? Oh, wait, King George is still with us, I forgot.

4. Tokyo Dome is spotless. I saw a shot of the concession stand. The floor was painted blue! And there were no ketchup/beer/vomit stains anywhere. Is this really an MLB game?

5. Jacoby Ellsbury batting 8th? What?

6. Who is this guy Brandon Moss?  Where is he playing, and why? Where is J.D.?  Oh wait a minute:  Moss, 2 for 5, 2 RBI, HR. Never mind.

7. The Oakland A's are walking Ortiz to get to Manny? Really?
I knew this wouldn't work out well for Oakland. And it didn't. A very strange move for Oakland. Don't the A's know who they are playing?

8. Alan Embree and Keith Foulke in A's uniforms. I thought these guys were long gone. Wait a minute, there's Lenny DiNardo too.
I can't say bad things about any of the guys on the 2004 team (even Damon, well, I take that back...) I hate it when ex-Sox come back and play well against my team. Foulke looked pretty good, I'm sorry to say.

9. Papelbon is mortal. The way this game went, back and forth, I couldn't wait to see Jonathan Papelbon shut down the A's. And then, well, a nail biter to the end. If this is the way the season is going to be, I'm looking to get some heart medication. I'll never last till October.

10. Manny Ramirez doing post game interview. Did you see this? Manny almost never, ever talks to the media. Then today, as soon as the game was done, the Japanese TV network set up a portable stage at home plate (or was it the mound?), and up comes Manny! It looked like we just won the World Series! But the really weird part was this: the interviewer asked the question in Japanese, there was an English translation, and then a Mannyism. It was hysterical. I wonder what "I'm just doin' what I'm paid to do, man," (the interviewer was a woman, btw) sounds like in Japanese.

The best part of this whole thing? It's only March 25th, it's 10:33 AM, and the Boston Red Sox have a 1/2 game lead over the NY Yankees.

Told you it's going to be a strange day!

Bob Ward

Red Sox Nation, I think I need an Intervention.

And Fast.

I think I'm falling in love with this idea of A-Rod in a Red Sox uniform.

Ever since Ryan Asselta told me to get a life back in February when I first raised this possibility of Arod opting out of his Yankee contract and coming to the Red Sox, this idea has intrigued me.

This indeed is the Curse in Reverse.

A hundred years ago, it was Ruth to New York. Now it's A-Rod to Boston. Karmic payback. Big time.

First, the Yankee lineup is crippled without A-Rod. Second, he boosts ours. It's simple. Isn't it?

I know all about A-Rod's lack of clutch hitting in the post season. But think about it: before Game 4 of the ALCS in 04, A-Rod was killing us. I remember at least one monster A-Rod home run in that awful 19-8 drubbing before the Red Sox turned it all around.

And if A-Rod goes cold, there's still Manny, Ortiz, Youk, Ellsbury, and maybe even Mike Lowell.

In my scenario, Lowell stays on the team at third, and A-Rod goes back to SS. I don't know what happens to Julio Lugo.

I also think Arod is too good to stay cold in the post season. He already turned around his regular season and saved the Yankees from finishing 30 games out. It's just a matter of time before A-Rod becomes an unstoppable force in the post season too.

Thinking even further along, Manny won't be on this team too much longer. But A-Rod, with those huge numbers, would be. A-Rod could be our slugger of the future.

As for salary? Well, it's not my money. And I haven't been to a Sox game at Fenway since 2004. That's a non-issue for me. I'm sure, if the Sox do sign A-Rod, they'll find ways to make their money back and still afford other players.

So, that's it Sox fans.

I know this is wrong. I remember the Tek-A-Rod battle in 04, the Slappy stuff in the ALCS, the lip gloss, the strippers, I shouldn't want him on my team. But the sheer, raw talent is blinding me.

And I have to ask, if this is so wrong, why does it feel so right?

Help ME!

Bob Ward

One not-so random thought while watching some of Fox25's excellent coverage of the 2007 World Series Victory Parade: What must Roger Clemens think about all this?

Sure, our last image of him is not exactly positive. Ole Rog limping off the mound as the Yankees fell to the Cleveland Indians in the first round of the playoffs.  Don't know if Roger hobbled up to George's office to pick up his gigantic check, but that last image on TV was  pathetic.

It didn't have to be this way.

Remember back in April/May, the Sox had their commanding 14 game lead, and they still wanted Roger back. Butch can correct me, but I think it all came down to either the Sox or the Yankees. The Yanks were desperate, they ponied up more cash, and Roger Clemens ended his season (if not his career) limping in pinstripes.

But Roger could have ended it all in glory. On a duck boat, adoring crowds, one last victory lap in an illustrious career for the ages. Let me put it another way, Roger SHOULD have been on a duck boat today, World Series Trophy aloft.

That was the script. All Roger Clemens needed to do, was to show up.

Now, Rog still would have been injured in the first round, but he would have been in the dugout, next to Wake. He would have been in the scrum on the mound at Coors Field. Roger would have been with us.

Well, as we've found, storybooks don't always have happy endings. Sometimes, no most of the time, it IS about the money. And Roger Clemens has that. More than he'll ever need.

But there is one thing Roger does not have, and will never have, a Boston Red Sox World Series Championship Ring. That, and the respect of Red Sox Nation.

This was the last chance for Roger. I highly doubt the Red Sox, or any other team will be trying to land Roger Clemens next year. It's over.

I wonder if Roger Clemens even watched the World Series or the Victory Parade. What did he think? Or was he busy counting his Yankee money? It's really too bad.

Don't want to finish  on a down note. So, CONGRATS RED SOX NATION!! Let's do this again, soon!

Bob Ward

Hello Boston!

I mean HELLO BOSTON!

What a day. What a great, great day.

First off, let me apologize for the lame title to this blog. But it hit me today, that for us Red Sox fans, this truly is Christmas in October.

The big gift under the tree we unwrapped last night. World Series 2007. What else needs to be said? Eighty six years of futility, and now we are Champions of the World. Twice in three years. People are talking dynasty talk. 

But there was another big gift under the tree this morning that we may have run right past.

 Has anyone seen the New York papers today?

The front page of both tabs feature the story of A-Rod bolting from the Yankees as large as the Boston papers are featuring the big Red Sox WS victory. "A-Bomb, " the NY Post declares. On the cover of the NY Daily News it's "A-Rod A-Goner."

And what makes this even sweeter is that if you go into the papers and read the columnists, they are waxing poetic about our Boston Red Sox, and how it is all going right for us. Not just now, but for years to come. Yes, the NY press is beating the drum of a Red Sox dynasty.

Was it really three years ago we were still on the receiving end of all those Curse stories? Was it really three years ago I was doing stories from Babe Ruth's grave? Seems like a century ago, doesn't it.

My how the worm has turned.

Well Yankee fans, if you are reading this, here's my message to you.

I am accepting congratulatory wishes any time. But I'll accept apologies from 3-11pm.

Just drop me a line!

Go Sox!!!!!!!

Bob Ward

This is an interesting Red Sox ride in '07 isn't it? Up by 14, lead now (Wednesday) down to 6. Still 6 games to go with the Yanks. But you know what? I'm not worried. What's the matter with me?

Before I continue, I'm not going to jinx anything. I'm not predicting a Red Sox AL East victory. I just want to write about my feelings.

In 1978, I was at Fenway Park when Bucky Dent hit the awful home run that still shows up way too often during Red Sox-Yankees games. Man, I wish they'd give that a rest. Also in '78, I went to so many Sox games (bleachers were $1.25 day of game), that I felt like I had season tickets. As you can imagine, it took decades for the pain of '78 to subside.

So, here we are in '07. Yankee fans will tell you "This feels like '78 all over again!" These are usually the very young Yankee fans who can barely remember what a World Series Championship feels like, let alone an historic comeback a generation ago.

I can tell you, that this does not 'feel' like '78. And the reason is 2004. When the Red Sox finished off the Yanks in stunning fashion, then swept the Cards in the World Series, they did more than reverse the curse. The team made winning not just a possibility, but a real option. I don't know about you, but I don't look for ways for the Sox to blow it anymore. That's what '04 did for me. This is exactly like the "Squish The Fish" Patriots and the Dolphins. Forever, it seemed, Miami owned the Patriots. Anyone worry about the Dolphins now?

I also really like this Red Sox team. Sure, it's not perfect. Wish the bats were better. Still concerned about Gagne. But this team is just balanced. And it protects the team from prolonged losing streaks.

I don't know if the Red Sox will win the World Series. I don't know if they'll even win the AL East. I do know, that for the first summer since I can remember, I'm not sitting on top of the Tobin Bridge waiting for the sky to fall. I gotta tell you. I like the view from here better.

Bob Ward