Top Boston Sports Stories of 2008: #1-10

看板RedSox作者Belladonaa時間17年前 (2008/12/31 23:41)推噓5(5推 0噓 2→)

留言7則, 7人參與討論串1/1

Top Boston Sports Stories of 2008: #1-10 10) The emergence of Matt Cassel 9) Tex, Tek and what the Sox should do with both - It's very possible by the time you read this that Mark Teixeira will be a member of the Red Sox and manning first base for the better part of the next decade. It's also very possible he won't if you believe owner John Henry. Regardless of what happens, everyone has an opinion. The amount of Teixeira chatter is equal to how GM Theo Epstein should proceed with catcher Jason Varitek. For Red Sox fans, what to do with two guys named Tex and Tek has become a daily discussion point 'round here. The other threads attached to this unraveling Sox sweater are what to do with Mike Lowell if Teixiera comes on board, who the Sox would have at catcher if Varitek doesn't re-sign and what the long-term solutions are if Varitek comes back. The amount of chess moves that some with less brain power have come up with (moving Kevin Youkilis to shortstop or left field, trading David Ortiz, having Varitek apprentice a young catcher as if he's a blacksmith, etc.) are staggering. All signs point to Teixeria coming in, Lowell heading out and Varitek returning due to a weak market and a need on both ends. Regardless what happens, the opinions of armchair GM's everywhere will be heard. 8) The Boston Bruins play hockey again 7) Jon Lester throws a no-hitter, becomes ace of 2008 season - In September 2006, 22-year-old Jon Lester was diagnosed with a rare form of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Three months later, doctors pronounced him cancer-free and he became an unlikely face to associate with The Jimmy Fund, the long-time children's cancer charity that has become synonymous with the Red Sox. Lester went 4-0 in 12 starts the following year, winning the final game of Boston's World Series sweep of Colorado. But his starts were excrutiating to watch, routinely lasting five innings and 100 pitches. Fast forward to 2008 and #31 was a different person, posting a 16-6 record with a 3.21 era. He showed two important 'ity's: velocity (consistently mid-to-high 90s) and durability (210 innings). But if there was one start that stood out, it was his May 19th no-hitter against Kansas City, the 18th no-no in Boston history. The emotion shared between coach Terry Francona and Lester post-game was as raw and real as you get in this day and age. In a season where Josh Beckett struggled with control and Daisuke Matsuzaka struggled with respect, Lester became the ace Boston needed and brought his heroic story full-circle. 6) Tom Brady out for entire 2008 season 5) The MVP season of Dustin Pedroia - Out of all the positions in baseball, second base is the one that is starting to emerge as a place to look for offensive output. Chase Utley, Dan Uggla, Brandon Phillps and Ian Kinsler are showing that it's not only shortstops that can be regarded for their ability to swing the bat. Last season, Boston got in on that mix with a prospect that wasn't highly regarded by anyone else but themselves. He hit .317, scored 86 runs and drove in 50 on his way to earning AL Rookie of the Year honors. No one expected what would happen in his sophomore season. The 5'7" West Coast kid finished second in the AL with a .326 average, slugging 17 homers and driving in 83. He ranked 1st in the league with 118 runs, 213 hits and 54 doubles. He started the All-Star game for the first time and won his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. He became only the third player to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in consecutive seasons (Cal Ripken, Ryan Howard) and became the first second baseman to win the award in almost 50 years. To top it all off, the team bought out some arbitration years and signed Pedroia to a six-year, $40.5 million contract. In a year where David Ortiz was not David Ortiz and despite the Manny Ramirez circus, Pedroia went out day after day and did his job, even batting cleanup on occasion. Now, that's an MVP. 4) Spygate comes to a close 3) The Manny Affair - Back in August of 2007, I wrote a column called Manny: The Final 14 Months. I speculated on what things would like as we rounded the bend of his final contracted season with the Red Sox, but I didn't seen anything of this coming. Perhaps I should have, starting with the signing of Scott Boras as his agent and Ramirez' erratic and eccentric past. It made too much sense for everything to go awry given the particular variables involved. A massive contract, questions about desire and health and a super-agent eager to get his man out on the market and paid with a new contract all were combustible elements and boy, did they explode. Apparently not wanting Boston to pick up the two $20 million options, Ramirez either did or didn't do yeomans work in attempting to sabotage that decision. Among the highlights: shoving traveling secretary Jack McCormick after the denial of his game-day request for 16 tickets in Houston, a televised dugout scuffle with Kevin Youkilis, his two-game sit-out due to knee 'injuries' (which knee was it again?) and the subsequent MRIs that showed nothing, the public comments on ownership and everything else that encompassed the final few months of the Manny being Manny era. And just when we thought he'd be here to stay, the announcement was made that ManRam was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three-way trade involving the Pirates. He made nice with the L.A. media, said he loved it there and hoped he would stay, much like we thought he would. He tore up the National League's pitching and helped the Dodgers make the postseason, much like we thought he would. And last week, the free agent Ramirez began to whine about retirement because he's not getting the offers he expected...much like we thought he would. 2) New England carries undefeated season into Super Bowl, get upset by NY Giants 1) Celtics renew rivalry with Lakers, defeat LA in six games to win 17th World Championship http://0rz.tw/ba5hA -- ※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) ◆ From: 118.160.64.5 ※ 編輯: Belladonaa 來自: 118.160.64.5 (12/31 23:42)