Red Sox Sweep

If you aren't really into baseball, you wouldn't understand. There is something captivating about following a team closely. You get to know the players--not just by name and face and position, but how they play. You begin to relate to their emotions. You see the worry in their faces, or share their confidence with every pitch. You anticipate each strategic move by the manager, which gives you the right and the moral authority to challenge his decisions. You are a dedicated fan.

This position has its price. You must mourn with those that mourn. Every loss is painful. A post-season defeat can ruin your day.

And also, the rewards. And so it is the with all of us Red Sox fans, who suffered through so many painful seasons, wearing our agony and frustration like a badge of honor, and watching with anger as the Yankees paraded their dynasty, year after year. We collectively hated George Steinbrenner, and somehow managed to resent even venerable players like Joe Torre, Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera.

Now it is our time to look down on these lesser teams with the compassion afforded a winner. After the Red Sox finished their four-game sweep of the Rockies, we exulted in the joy of victory. And somehow, we resisted the temptation to squirt Diet Coke around the room like it was champagne.

What a pleasure it was to watch Mike Lowell, class act that he is, steadily produce in all four games. And to be in awe of Jonathan Papelbon, so intimidating on the mound yet such a goofball off of it. Or Dustin Pedroia, sure bet for AL Rookie of the Year, playing hard-nosed, scrappy, clutch ball every night. And young Jacoby Ellsbury, who started the year in Double-A and was only called up to the Sox in September, then found himself starting in centerfield for the Series and batting over .400 while leading off in Games 3 and 4.

We got wins from starting pitchers Josh Beckett and Curt Schilling, the best young and old clutch pitchers in baseball, and from Dice-K, fresh from the Japanese league, and Jon Lester, who a year ago was taking chemotherapy cancer treatments.

Yet we can't overlook David "Big Papi" Ortiz or Manny Ramirez, whose Herculean efforts got the Sox past the Indians to get into the Series, or Jason Varitek, who directed the pitching staff like a maestro, or Kevin Youkalis, who never complained about riding the pine when we dropped the DH in Colorado, despite hitting .500 in the post-season, or even J.D. Drew and Julio Lugo, who finally delivered with some timely hitting in the post-season.

It was an October to remember, watching Game 1 in Mexico, hurrying from the airport to catch the end of Game 2, and basking in Games 3 and 4 in the cushioned box seats of my living room sharing shouts and commentary with Sam. Thank you Red Sox, for such a wonderful time.