Closing in on Soxtober!

We are exactly one week away from October! I'm getting pretty eager, if you can't tell. The AL East and West winners have been decided. For the first time since 2007 the Red Sox have won the AL East! They were the first AL team to clinch, followed by the Oakland A's clinching the West for the second year in a row. The Dodgers have been sitting comfortably, having had the NL West title for almost a week now and the Braves have won the NL East title for the first time since 2005. The Central teams are taking it down to the wire, especially in the NL. It has turned into an all-out battle for the division between the Cards, Reds and Pirates. Personally, I'm pulling for Pittsburgh. Talk about an underdog. Either way, all three have secured a spot in the playoffs, which is sure to cause a stir in the wildcard round. I could easily see these teams burning out quickly after battling their way through September. The AL has left their wildcard spaces up for grabs, but the most likely prospects are the Indians and Rays, as I suspect the Tigers will be clinching within their next game or two. So, everybody! Get ready for the most exciting month of sports. Call it what you will, my two favorites are Soxtober and Choptober. Ironically enough, those are the two teams I'd love to see make it all the way. That way, I'd be able to see the Sox play IN THE WORLD SERIES. IN ATLANTA. It'd be paradise. And it'd probably make me broke, because of course I'd want to go to every game possible.. Thanks for letting me fantasize. We'll see how it all unfolds..

Why I Love Mike Napoli

Mike Napoi is by far my favorite Red Sox player for so many reasons. That's why I'm making him the first player I profile in my "Why I Love.." series. Sit tight, and prepare to discover a new adoration for the Nap. He was picked up as a free agent in the off season and has brought something to the team that we desperately needed: Moxie. Sort of like a modern day Ted Williams. He fits the profile of what a Red Sox player should be perfectly. He also filled the gap left in Sox fan's hearts when we lost Youkilis, which is no easy feat. Needless to say there are plenty of reasons to be a fan of him, but here are just a few more.

1. He wears his socks on the outside

A true traditionalist, he sports the classic look that I find irresistible. He and Will Middlebrooks are the only two players that show of their red socks on the reg. Hats off to you, gentlemen. You're doing it right.

2. He's #12

My all-time favorite number, and my birthdate. I always like players with this number above all others, and I'm waiting on the day that I get my Nap shirt, so I can sport my lucky number as well as my favorite player. 

3. The Beard

Ladies? Anyone else think that he pulls the look off better than any other infielder? Even, dare I say, the man who started the trend himself, Pedroia. Explosive. That’s the only word for Naps extendo-beard.  It just keeps going and going, much like his home runs.

4. His stats are insane

This season has been a personal best for Napoli. He's had 78 runs, 90 RBIs and 125 hits so far. He's also had the most at-bats of his career. Not to mention, he's hit two grand slams this season. One against the Oakland A's back in April and another against the Yankees in the most recent series. Two teams in the AL that I dislike, so that makes me love him even more so.

5. He's priceless

Although the Sox only signed him to a one-year contract, I have a strong feeling that they will re-sign him to a longer deal. He was originally supposed to sign with us for three, but a physical evaluation that showed he had hip issues back in December took the deal down. If he does resign, it won't be cheap! He's proved his worth on the team and the city has accepted him and loves him.

So there you have it, five reasons why everyone should love Mike Napoli.

Sweep, Sweep, Sweep!

Tonight was another amazing installment of Sunday Night Baseball. Of course, it being the last game in the Sox/Yankees series, I've been looking forward to it all day. Tonight was a special occassion because it will be Mariano Rivera's last scheduled appearance at Fenway park. The Sox decided to have a commemorative ceremony in which the club and it's players presented Mo with gifts, praise and thanks for all of the spark he brought to the park and the rivalry over his career. I thought the whole presentation was heartwarming and truly made me a fan of the Sandman. ESPN has a great article that goes into detail about what all was said and done at the ceremony.

And the Sox came away with a sweep! The first series they've swept the Yankees this season. And though we still kept him from a win, tonight's game will never trump Mariano Rivera's Greatest Fenway Moment which will always be near and dear to any Red Sox fan's heart.

Goodnight!
Becca

A Saturday in September

Thousands of people all over the country are glued to their televisions on a day like this. It's week three of the college football season, and even though UGA has a bye, you can guarantee that football will be on all afternoon. I, however, am spending my Saturday propped up in my living room feeling very fortunate that Fox is broadcasting the second game of the Red Sox/Yankees series.

The Sox won last night 8-4, earning their 90th win of the season. Every Sox fan is taught to have a deep seeded hate for the Yankees and most NY sports in general, so the fact that they're 11-6 against the Yanks so far this season makes me ecstatic.

C.C Sabathia is pitching for the Yankees today, and being that he's one of their more solid pitchers, I'm thrilled that it's only the fourth inning and we already have six hits against him. He's never been well-received in Boston, though. Since he became a Yankee in 2009, Sabathia's career ERA at Fenway is a whopping 6.62. Also, fun fact, today marked the first time in twenty years that the Sox have consecutively hit sacrifices over two innings against New York.

Heading out of the 5th inning, the Sox have earned 5 RBIs from 5 different batters.

Keep it up boys :)

Opening Comments

I've been a Red Sox fan for about as long as I can remember. The number one question I get about this is "Why?" Well, my parents were born and raised in the Northeast, and while my mom didn't care much about baseball, my dad was a die-hard Sox fanatic. Naturally, he wanted to pass this down to his kids. My older sister didn't show an interest in baseball until we moved to Atlanta, and she became a Braves fan by default. My older brother loved the color green before he ever picked up a t-ball,  so naturally, when he gained his interest, his favorite team was the one with the green jerseys, a.k.a., The Florida Marlins. His four-year old logic couldn't be swayed, so my parents fed his passion by letting him be the biggest Marlins fan a kid could be. So that leaves me, the youngest child and my father's last resort, in a sense. He began calling me into the room to watch a replay while throwing in some baseball history and somewhere along the way I picked up the rules and players' names. Before I knew it, I was a girl who loved baseball, and even more importantly The Boston Red Sox. The part I loved the most, though, was how it brought my dad and I closer together, and I'm thankful for that.

So truth be told, I started this blog for class credit. Two of my classes this semester have asked me to start one, so here it is. I'm actually excited to start this blog, though, because it's a topic I love to talk and learn more about. It's perfect timing as well because the Sox are on fire and it's almost time for the playoffs. I plan on using this blog to follow the road to October and reflect on what it is the Sox have done this year to get them in such a great position at this point in the season. Maybe it'll give my twitter a break from my ranting at the same time. Enjoy!

-Becca