Súper Papi, and J.D. Drew, the Kid Wonder

By Kyle Baxter and Dan Zappulla

It never felt like it would be a win. Walking to the ballpark, in the balmy, perfect weather of October 16, 2008, it just felt like a loss. Years of Red Sox fandom had clued me into the feeling of a loss, and this day had that feeling. When Daisuke gave up another home run to B.J. Upton, it certainly never felt like a win. When Papelbon allowed those two inherited runners to score, it absolutely did not feel like a win. But I stayed at the game, waiting for the inevitable loss. Why? Because I wanted some thanks at the end. Baseball, like no other sport, takes its fans on a journey. A 6-7 month, grueling, difficult and often fruitless journey. Players leave town without thanks to the millions of fans who purchased his jersey and cheered him on for years. And yet, we root, we pay, and all we want is some thanks, and I was staying to get my piece.

Waiting for the thanks I was due for such a season something happened. The Red Sox fans lost hope. It was in 5th inning, the fans went quiet and resigned themselves to a long winter of trade talks, free agent signings, and filling the void with our other sports. Some fans left, others sulked, most drank their sorrows away in expensive Bud Lights. But a magical thing was happening: our despair made Papi strong.

Looking back on it, we should have seen that it was a good match-up. Balfour, the hard throwing right-hander who only throws fastballs, against our superhero slugger who needed to break out of a slump. But at the time, we were down and sure of defeat. And then Súper Papi, feeding on our rich and plentiful desperation, launched a ball deep into the Boston night, and hope was rekindled. Three runs, two innings -- not only doable, but been done before.

The Tampa bullpen, which had been so strong all series, now looked weak, vulnerable, and the Sox monster was ready to strike at the injured bullpen beast. Being there, it was obvious the Sox were going to win that game. The fans, who had nothing to cheer about all game, let out a polite applause for Pedroia's RBI single and erupted on Papi's bomb, and would never sit again. When Wheeler walked Bay on 4 pitches, the fans smelled blood. When Drew launched a homerun to pull it within one, the stands exploded, and from that point on, the fans would not let Tampa Bay come out victorious. We've come on a journey too long to let it end like that, and it wasn't going to end like that on our watch.

It never felt like a win, not until Papi let our despair turn him into the superhero yet again. Papi does not do clutch, Papi changes entire series. That home run could prove to be the series changing event. But wow, up until that moment it never felt like a win.

And now the Red Sox faithful turn longingly to Josh Beckett. The one time fire-baller has seen his fastball dip down to the low 90's during this playoff run. Two weeks ago, if you were to tell me that we had Beckett going in a must-win game, I'd laugh and call Vegas to bet my life savings on the Sox. Now, we're all a little nervous. Personally, I will be looking at the radar gun for the speed of his first few fastballs, and their location. If he's down in the low 90's and not locating, I'll be running for the Xanax... if he's doing either or, I feel OK... if he's doing both, then I start thinking about whether I can get a last minute bet in Sin City.

Personally, I think Beckett lives for these moments and will be back on form - then again, I thought that last time he went out, too. But I cannot think too much about tomorrow, today. I am tired and am thankful I get today off of sports to recuperate. So rest up Red Sox Nation we have a big day Saturday and the big question remains, can the Red Sox pull off 2 wins in a row? Mr. Garnett, what do you think?



This morning on WEEI, Curt Schilling called the game "three hours of crap and about sixty minutes of 'holy crap.'" Curt would know a thing or two about magical ALCS performances. Everyone remembers the "bloody sock" game back in the 2004 Championship Series. One year before that -- before Schilling joined the Boston club -- an inauspicious home run turned into a karmatic coincidence with last night's ending. Aaron Boone's home run to win the American League Pennant for the Yankees in 2003 happened on October 17 at 12:16 in the morning. JD Drew's game-winning single last night took place on October 17, 2008 at 12:16 in the morning. Five years -- to the minute -- after Boone's famed round-tripper. Call it coincidence, call it karma, call it nothing at all. But that improbable alignment, combined with a burning CITGO sign in Kenmore Square, has led me to believe that this team might just pull off some October magic once again.

Yes, it's a stretch to think that Josh Beckett will snap back to himself in Game 6. It's a stretch to think Jon Lester is a lock to throw a gem in Game 7. But it was also insane to think they could come back from three-games-to-none in 2004, three-games-to-one in 2007, and down seven runs in the seventh inning last night. This is what the Red Sox do. They make impossible dreams, possible.

Final Score: Boston 8, Tampa Bay 7.
Win: Justin Masterson (1-0)
Loss: J.P. Howell (0-1)
Player of the Game: J.D. Drew (BOS). Two clutch hits, including the walk-off game-winner.


Additional Note from Kyle: Out of the three players Dan mentioned who know how to come back from down in a series (Beckett, Papelbon, Papi) the two that played came up huge (Papi, Pappy). I'm not saying Dan predicted it, but if Beckett comes up huge on Saturday then there might be something to this "Dan can see the future" thing... that or he needs to show me where he parks his DeLorean.

Extra Additional Note from Dan: Just parked the DeLorean out front, came back with startling revelation. Everyone in 1955 was on fire -- I never knew that!