Ever since David Ortiz arrived in 2003, the Boston Red Sox have been in the postseason only 5 times missing out on the dance in 2006. Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia arrived in 2007 and now will be going to the postseason for the second straight season. The Red Sox are beginning to spoil us a little bit and for the youngsters on the team, they don’t know anything else.
But we can’t get ahead of ourselves, there’s still a lot of work to be done as there’s still an outside chance at the AL East crown. And like Josh Beckett said last night, it’s the first team to 11 for the ultimate prize, a World Series Trophy.
The big news of yesterday before the Red Sox clinched a spot in the postseason and eliminated the Yankees was the announcement that the Red Sox were planning to retire Johnny Pesky’s No. 6 on Friday night. The Red Sox had had a long standing policy of only retiring numbers of players who were in the Baseball Hall of Fame among other stipulations.
“It’s an announcement we make with pride and admiration, with respect and with gratitude, the announcement that the Boston Red Sox organization will be retiring forever the No. 6 worn by Johnny Pesky,” Red Sox president/CEO Larry Lucchino said. “It will be placed in proud display on the right field façade this weekend, Friday night, on the eve of Johnny’s 89th birthday.
“Johnny has been with this franchise for nearly six decades, and he is a very special ambassador, a very special person in this organization and has been for many, many years.”
“It’s something that John (Henry), Tom (Werner) and I and many people in and out of the organization have given plenty of thought to over the years,” Lucchino added. “We don’t enter into these kinds of decisions lightly but it is one for which we feel an enormous sense of appropriateness, fitness, rightness.”
If you missed the video of the Red Sox postgame celebration, don’t worry I’ve got you covered. Texy’s got you covered with the latest episode from the Mayor at City Hall and WEEI.com has video of the postgame celebration as well from an insider’s perspective. And here are some photos of the celebration from the Boston Globe.
Texy’s also got some pictures of the many different uses of champagne last night.
Terry Francona has gotten better through the years.
Asdrubal Cabrera decided to serve his 3-game suspension stemming from last week’s brawl with the Tigers.
Mike Lowell is definitely planning on being a part of the Red Sox postseason plans.
The Red Sox have proved now that they can win without Manny Ramirez.
Jed Lowrie will likely get some rest over the last 5 games.
For more slices of Red Sox goodness, head over to the Boston Globe, Boston Herald, Hartford Courant and Providence Journal websites.
And if you must see what the enemy papers are saying, you can check out The Plain Dealer and Akron Beacon Journal websites.
