A Great Awakening

By Pete's Rose
Updated: October 17, 2008

Pete’s Rose Writes Again! Thank you Red Sox!

After a long dormant spell of around 11 months, Pete’s Rose is once again heard on Baseball Reflections and it took the second best comeback in baseball playoff history to do it.

I woke up this morning realizing that I don’t have what it takes to be a Red Sox fan. And I have the feeling I’m in very good company, although most people won’t admit it and will claim that they never doubted for a moment. After seeing the Sox get pounded two games in a row at home and observing the lifeless bats for the first 6 innings last night, can you blame me for telling my 8-and 10-year-old daughters that they could watch the Red Sox bat in the bottom of the 7th and then it would be time to head to bed? They can thank Big Papi for getting to stay up past midnight once more!

What a statement to the Rays. It’s as if Boston scripted the best let-down possible: “Okay, let’s let them beat up our starting pitching 4 straight games to the point where they can picture the locker room party and taste the champagne. Let’s get them imagining how it will feel to defeat the defending champions in their beloved Fenway Park. Then, we’ll reel them back to reality pitch by pitch, inning by inning until the momentum has swung slowly but decisively back to the Red Sox dugout.” Could you have written that story (again)? Not me!

So when did the momentum shift, exactly? When Pedroia drove in the first RBI with 2 outs and 2 strikes, eliminating the shut out possibility? Well, maybe a little momentum blinked its eyes and glided out of the Rays dugout over to the home team’s. But, one run? This team had 7 outs left and still needed 6 runs to tie. I guess that’s when Big Papi thought of the pre-printed ALCS champion hats and t-shirts emblazoned with the Rays’ logo. He knew they were there in Fenway lurking somewhere. He realized it was going to be his last at-bat of the season if things didn’t get going. It was truly do-or-die time and finally, finally his bat came to life. He dug in and pulled out yet another clutch impossible-to-believe homerun. The Fenway Faithful went wild. And the momentum stood up, packed its bags, and marched from the visitor’s dugout across the diamond to stay.

Who knows what will happen on Saturday. Maybe those t-shirts and hats will be matched up with rightful owners. But, they’ll have to wait in their boxes until they’ve been earned, and last night, the Sox’ bats rose up and said “Not at our house”! I was fan enough to stay up and watch their demise. I have to admit, I didn’t expect to see their triumph. But I’ll take it! As a dubious fan I don’t deserve it, but I’ll take it! Thanks again, Boston, for something to jump up and down and scream for. I guess that’s why I love baseball.