More good news!

Papelbon's fastball has finish | redsox.com: News

Probably going to be Pap's last year with the Sox... After 2 off-years, he really needs to come back strong this year... Hopefully he has rediscovered his splitter.

A question answered?

Red Sox don't see themselves as favorites | redsox.com: News

So... I asked what we should expect as Red Sox fans... Team says they don't see themselves as favorites... Hmmmm... Interesting...

More encouraging news...

Beckett encouraged by simulated game | redsox.com: News

I'm stoked that AGon is taking bp. Also... I'm not sure if I want to call Alex Gonzalez AGon or Gonzo...

Some people...

I was walking down the street about a week ago when someone beeped at me, I turned to look and it was someone in a Yankees baseball hat; I, of course, was wearing my Red Sox jacket. When I made eye contact with him he flipped me off and then gunned the engine as he sped away. 5 minutes later i see him coming back down the same street, just to flip me off once more. It was nice to see that the rivalry is alive and well.

Some Early Questions

There are a lot of things that I am looking forward to this year. However, just like any baseball season, there are still questions that need to be answered for me. I'm sure throughout this month these questions will be answered at spring training, I also know that new questions may arise as well. So I will come back to this later. But for now:

How is Josh Beckett going to perform this year?

Beck is one of my all-time favorites. But he's gotta bring it this year. Last year needs to be forgotten. The Red Sox win or lose the pennant on Josh Beckett's shoulders, I believe.

Is it David Ortiz's swan song in Beantown?

Could this be Ortiz's last year in Boston? Has time caught up with him? So far this spring he has been off to a hot start. But it's still March. He's gotten off to really slow regular season starts the last two years. I'm interested to see what Papi has in store this year.

And my last question for now: How much should fans expect?

As a fan, my expectations can sometimes be unrealistic. But looking at this team it's hard for me not to see these guys raising at least an American League Champions banner next year... and maybe even, dare I say, a World Series banner?(Oh my god I just wrote that. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to jinx anything...) As a Red Sox fan, I can't remember the last time, if ever, that we had the best team on paper going into the year. But I really think we have at least the best team in the American League(so good that I don't think I can jinx them, obviously). This is an odd spot for us Red Sox fans, should we REALLY expect to win the AL? I'm sure this is a question that I'll struggle with all year.

Beckett cleared; will throw bullpen tomorrow - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog

Beckett cleared; will throw bullpen tomorrow - Extra Bases - Red Sox blog A sigh of relief. It looks as though Beckett's gonna be okay. Josh is probably my favorite Red Sox Pitcher and might even be my favorite player as well. I'm rooting hard for him to return to his form of 2007.

Prologue aka What's brought us here?

I was born in Boston back in December of 1985... Don't worry, I am not going to cover all the events in the past 25 years. I tell you that to simply illustrate where I am coming from and what I have seen. Being born in Boston mean that you are a Red Sox fan. Being born in 1985 means that I was technically alive for the Buckner Game in '86(although I have no real recollection of the events). It means that I lived through Roger Clemens dominance from 1991 to 1995 when he didn't have a supporting cast. It means that I watched Roger Clemens then let himself go and swell up like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow man once he was finally surrounded by a decent team in 95 and 96. I watched him leave the organization only to land with the Yankees to win 2 World Series championships with The Yankees. It also means that I was lucky enough to see Pedro Martinez in his prime, Nomar Garciaparra in his prime(he kinda peaked early). It also means that I was watching when Aaron Boone broke my heart with a home run off of Tim Wakefield in the 11th inning of Game 7 in The ALCS. The 2003 Red Sox, up until this point, have been my favorite team of all time. Johnny Damon, Billy Mueller, Todd Walker, Nomar, Pedro, Pokey, Derek Lowe, Veritek, and of course Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. I don't think I've ever been more affected by the outcome of a baseball game than I was that year. It was my first taste of PAIN. The 2004 Red Sox  will always be special of course, winning the World Series the way they did was awesome. To go into your most hated enemies place in game 7, after being down 3-0 in the series, and winning? Never has such an event happened in sports before and I don't think that it will happen again. Teams may come back from down 3-0, but not in that fashion. The 2007 Red Sox were one of the best single-season teams ever. They lead the League wire to wire, swept the ALDS, Went 7 in the ALCS(I just think they NEEDED to make it interesting), swept the World Series. Since that 07 team I feel like the Red Sox have been rebuilding and making moves. Putting pieces in place to form a juggernaut. It has taken 3 seasons of what people in Boston have been referring to as "Bridge Years"- years that teams have when they are trying to win, but are really just building for the future. But they've made low-profile solid moves- Signing Becket, Pedroia, Youkilis, and Lester to long term deals has assured them of a great, solid core group of players that would lead any locker room they got dressed in. They went out and got John Lackey, a SOLID post-season performer. This off season, however, they went out and made the splash that I have been waiting for for quite some time. Welcome to Boston Carl Crawford and Adrian Gonzalez. Words can't describe how excited I am for this baseball season to start; knowing the pieces that my favorite team has in place this year. So I figured, what better time to start a Red Sox blog from a displaced Bostonian living in Portlandia's perspective? Most of my posts won't be this long, I just wanted to give you all a little back story about me, the blogger. 2011 is going to be an amazing season, I can't wait to share pictures, videos and my crazy opinions and observations with you. I love baseball as a game and hope that I can convey my passion to any and all who read.