Party Crashers
For the Red Sox yesterday was rather like the Matrix trilogy. It started off incredibly with a sensational ring ceremony but fell off rather precipitously in the ninth inning.
The Red Sox have yet to test out the new replay system. John Farrell could have used it to his advantage when Khris Davis supposedly reached third safely on Scooter Gennett’s sacrifice bunt. Tim Timmons didn’t have the optimum angle of the play and called Davis safe even as the runner popped off the base momentarily while Will Middlebrooks was still applying the tag. Crew chief Tim Welkie didn’t call for a review, which he is empowered to do from the seventh inning forward.
If Davis had been called out as he should have been, perhaps the Brewers wouldn’t have scored four runs in the ninth. In that scenario, Edward Mujica wouldn’t have had to cope with runners on first and third and none out in front of the intense Fenway crowd.
Instead Mujica allowed four runs to score while compiling just two outs. The Red Sox failed to get a man on base with the final three outs, so Red Sox Nation wouldn’t be hearing “Dirty Water” on a day when they had earlier enjoyed the triumphant tones of “Thus Spake Zarathustra,” the heartfelt yearning in “Lean On Me,” and the scintillating synthesizers of “Baba O’Riley.”
The Fenway facade may soon run out of space with all the success the franchise has had.
Fenway’s fences are overflowing with history as David Ortiz’s jewelry box is bursting with bling. The designated hitter thought John Henry, Larry Lucchino, and Tom Werner made a mistake and gave him someone else’s ring. Instead he received a custom ring commemorating his World Series Most Valuable Player award. One flank indicates that he is a three-time world champion and the other side bears his likeness. Inside is inscribed with his World Series statistics: 11-for-16, two home runs, six RBIs in six games. Even etched in white gold those numbers are hard to fathom.
The face of the 2013 ring features the Red Sox logo in rubies with the World Series trophy behind it. The graphics are backed by a field of sapphires. On the side with the player’s name and number there is also the number of World Series the individual has won with the Red Sox. On the other side is the B Strong logo. Connecting these two sides, the individual and the city, is the team’s rallying point: “Bearded Brothers 10-30-13” is inscribed within.
I know too often pundits and pedants talk and write ad nauseum about the healing power of sports. Oritz will not die in the line of duty like Lt. Edward Walsh and Michael Kennedy. Tom Brady’s day-to-day job does not mean running into imminent danger like the firefighters of the September 11 attacks did. While football does have long-term health effects, the number of injuries pale in comparison to the thousands who have pulmonary disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, and cancer in the attacks’ aftermath.
But returning to the normal course of life after terror attacks shows that we had not succumbed. After September 11 the NFL delayed games for a week, which showed they had learned from 1963, when they continued to play games in the wake of President John F. Kennedy’s assassination. No games were cancelled, just rescheduled.
After the Boston Marathon bombings Ortiz declared “This is our f****ing city.” And the Red Sox won it for their brothers and their city.
| Game 4: April 4, 2014 | ||
 Milwaukee Brewers2-2 |
6 | L: Wei-Yin Chen (0-1) |
| 2B: Khris Davis – 2 (2), Jonathan Lucroy (1), Lyle Overbay (1) 3B: Jean Segura (1) HR: Lucroy (1) | ||
| Boston Red Sox 2-2 |
2 | L: Edward Mujica (0-1) |
| 2B: Mike Carp (1) HR: Will Middlebrooks (1) | ||
