It's good to see Pedro in a Sox uniform again

I must say, he never looked quite right in a Mets or a Phillies jersey.

I hope someday #45 will be hanging up with the other retired numbers.

And lest we forget Nomar was there too. Remember it wasn't that long ago that the combination of Pedro and Nomar were supposed to be the magic combination that would beat The Curse.

Welcome back Pedro, even if it was just for a day.

The All "Ungraceful Exit" Red Sox team of my lifetime

For whatever reason the Red Sox seem to be portrayed as a warm tradition filled franchise and the Yankees often are shown as a cold and uncaring evil empire.

But as it was addressed a few weeks ago, the Yankees aren't cold hearted at all. They are a bunch of softees.

Conversely, the Red Sox often act cooly and without sentimentality.

Mike Lowell is the latest Red Sox hero that is being told not to let the door hit his ass on the way out.

But when Mike gets dumped, he shouldn't feel too bad.

Just in my lifetime of watching baseball, the Red Sox have been able to fill a 25 man roster with all of the quality players who left the franchise in a huff and with a bad taste in their mouth.

And this is Sully Baseball where strange lists are not just pondered... they are written.

I created a 25 man roster with a starting line up, a rotation, a bullpen, a bench and for good measure a manager, two coaches and a GM all of whom ended their Red Sox tenure with the attitude of "F--- them! I'll prove them wrong!"

And my self imposed rule is they have to have been Red Sox in the era that I remember (1977 on.) I'm not including the Babe and all of the other players the Sox cast off in years past. But I had no problem making a roster with that stipulation.

And it is a roster filled with legends, Hall of Famers, beloved New Englanders, Cy Young Winners, MVPs and some of the biggest heroes of 2004.

Don't believe me... read on.


The Starting Line Up


C- Carlton Fisk

New England’s favorite son clashed with GM Haywood Sullivan over money. The Sox front office mailed his contract a day late, making him a free agent and he wound up being a free agent and spending more years in Chicago instead of Boston.







1B – Doug Mientkiewicz

Only us insane Red Sox fans could turn the guy who caught the final out in the World Series we’ve been waiting our whole lives for into a bad guy! He caught the ball tossed to him by Foulke and decided to keep it… and who could blame Mientkiewicz? Red Sox management could! They unbelievably got into a lawsuit that needed to be mediated. They dealt him to the Mets and believe it or not he became a villain to some Sox fans!



2B – Mark Bellhorn

One of the big post season heroes of 2004 had a slow 2005… and was cut late in the season. He went on to finish the season (and play in the Division Series) as a member of the Yankees… the same team who helped sink with a pair of ALCS homers in ’04.





SS – Nomar Garciaparra

The man who was shaping up to be one of the great legends in Red Sox history was involved in an aborted trade to the White Sox in the 2003 off season. His 2003 was filled with injuries and sulking and was shipped to Chicago, this time the Cubs. The trade of the beloved No-Mah was considered to be the turning point of 2004.






3B – Wade Boggs

After 11 seasons in Boston where he hit .338 over all and won 5 batting titles and collected 2,098, the future Hall of Famer was nontendered after a subpar 1992. He responded by joining the Yankees, rediscovering his stroke and Gold Glove ability and winning his lone World Series title. Despite all of the great moments in Boston, Boggs won his ring (and rode a horse) in the Bronx and got his 3,000 hit in Tampa.





LF – Manny Ramirez

Manny being Manny imploded in 2008. He went from World Series hero and beloved cult figure to pariah in 9 months. Pushing an old guy to the ground will do that to you. Who knows what his response will be like if and when he returns to Fenway? It certainly won’t sound like the fans are responding to the guy who won the MVP for the Curse breaking World Series.





CF – Johnny Damon

The personification of the long haired free spirited idiots who slayed the curse, Johnny spoke in his book about his loyalty to Boston and how he would never play for the Yankees… and then he signed with the Yankees. The Sox wouldn’t give 5 years to him, thinking he wouldn’t be able to keep playing center field. Later he was quoted saying about being a Yankee “Now I’m in a place that actually wants me.” Ouch.


RF – Dwight Evans

One of the great Red Sox of all time, Evans was the only player who played in the post season for the Sox in 1975, 1986, 1988 and 1990. And 8 time Gold Glover, he was the only AL hitter to get 20 or more homers each year of the 1980s. So naturally after 19 seasons he was released to make room for Jack Clark. Evans finished his career as a part time DH for Baltimore.





DH – Mo Vaughn

Another beloved native New Englander, Vaughn clashed with the front office. I guess Dan Duquette and company had a hard time with a popular MVP who did charity and helped heal the racial tensions of the organization. It became so toxic that his free agent defection was expected even before the 1998 playoffs. He went to the Angels and was never the same.





The Rotation

Roger Clemens

Dan Duquette was an undeniably talented GM, but man alive did he love to pick fights with top players. And he clashed with Clemens throughout the very public contract squabble with Roger Clemens. On one hand Clemens was 33, which is right around the time pitchers start to decline. On the other hand he was tied for the all time win total in Red Sox history with Cy Young and won 3 awards named after Young… and oh yeah led the league in strikeouts in 1996. Clemens left for Toronto and Duquette said he was in the twilight of his career. Clemens responded with back to back Cy Young seasons and two more later, becoming more identified with the Yankees. Now how Clemens injected his motivation is under investigation… but the greatest pitcher in Red Sox history was always welcomed back with a chorus of boos.


Pedro Martinez

The most exciting pitcher in Red Sox history helped turn the franchise around after Clemens’ departure. He won 2 Cy Youngs (and could have won 2 more) but his diva act started wearing out its welcome. And by the time he won Game 3 of the 2004 World Series, it was assumed it was his last game in a Red Sox uniform. The Red Sox offered 2 years and the Mets offered 4, so off to New York he went. At first it looked dreadful as Pedro kept up his Cy Young stuff his first year in Queens and the Red Sox missed the Division Title by a single game… but in the end letting Pedro go allowed the Sox to get Josh Beckett. Pedro did receive a nice hand when he returned to Boston years later.


Bruce Hurst

The postseason ace in 1986 gave the Red Sox two #1 starters (along with Clemens) when they won the 1988 “Morgan’s Magic” Division Title. But GM Lou Gorman got cheap all of a sudden after the 1988 ALCS and Hurst left the Sox for the Padres. They could have used that second ace in the 1990 playoffs.





Luis Tiant

As if 1978 couldn’t get more painful for Red Sox fans in the wake of Bucky F---ing Dent. In the off season, the beloved Lou-Eee defected to the Yankees as a free agent and did a series of hot dog commercials where he said “It’s good to be with a Weiner!” Ouch.







Fergie Jenkins

Fergie didn’t have the best seasons in his Hall of Fame career in Boston. But he was in Don Zimmer’s doghouse and was sent back to Texas for John Poloni… he of 2 career big league games. Poloni never played a game in Boston while Jenkins went 18-8 in Texas in 1978. Gee, I wonder if the Sox could have used him when they lost the Division in the Bucky Dent game!





The Bullpen

Keith Foulke

Foulke, the single most underrated hero from the 2004 title, literally risked his career throwing 14 innings (and throwing 257 pitches) that October and letting up 1 earned run in the process. By 2005 his arm was shot as was his effectiveness. Fans started booing him and he called Red Sox fans “Johnny from Burger King.” His time in Boston ended on a sour note as he was an ineffective mop up man with a terrible relationship with the fans and the media… all less than 2 years removed from delivering the highlight we’ve been waiting our whole lives for: A World Series title.

Lee Smith

Smith was still one of the top closers in the game and helped lead the Sox to the 1988 Division Title when the Sox signed Jeff Reardon. Why did they need 2 closers? Smith was dealt for Tom Brunansky, but rumors started whirling that Smith was a troublemaker. Funny. He was never a troublemaker in Chicago. Nor later in his career in St. Louis, Baltimore or California… just in the Yawkey run Red Sox… innnteresting.


Bill Lee

Sure it’s a stretch putting Lee in the bullpen, but he actually did start his Sox career as a reliever. His clashes with management and that moron Don Zimmer were legendary and can be summed up in the brilliant film Spaceman- A Baseball Odyssey featuring your pal Sully. He was benched down the stretch in 1978 and was dumped to Montreal for Stan Papi. Papi never got off of the bench. Lee won 17 for Montreal in 1979.




Alan Embree

Embree pitched well in the 2004 post season and got the pennant clinching out in Yankee Stadium. A year later, he was cut in midseason upsetting his bullpen mates. Embree wound up a member of the 2005 Yankees and seemed to take great glee in clinching the Division in Fenway.








Jim Willoughby

Yet another one of the Buffalo Heads that Don Zimmer wanted off of the team because… um… he didn’t like them. The Red Sox got exactly zero players from the White Sox for Willoughby and then had a worn out bullpen by September.






The Bench

Reserve Infielder – Jose Offerman

It’s hard to remember that Jose Offerman was once an All Star as a member of the Red Sox. Well he was in 1999. And by 2002 he was considered a cancer in the clubhouse and was cut in August. They cut him AFTER they finished a West Coast swing. Offerman lived on the West Coast and the team flew him all the way back East to give him his walking papers, which led to a profanity laced, equipment throwing tirade. Years later as a member of the Bridgeport Bluefish, he went after another player with a bat. Classy guy.

Reserve Infielder – Orlando Cabrera

Cabrera came over in the Nomar trade, gave the Red Sox stellar defense, got clutch post season hits, helped deliver a title to Boston and fit in perfectly with the Boston clubhouse. So naturally the Sox let him go. There were rumors of Cabrera doing inappropriate things and making management mad. Either way Cabrera left and played in the post season with the Angels, White Sox and Twins while the Red Sox have put 19 different guys at shortstop since.




Reserve Outfielder – Steve Lyons

Lyons was hardly a top prospect for the Red Sox, but he was one of the few rookies on the 1986 Red Sox squad. He also was John McNamara’s whipping boy. Whenever Johnny Mac woke up, he’d chew out Lyons and not raise his voice to any of the veterans. Lyons was shipped off for Tom Seaver.






Reserve Outfielder – Bernie Carbo

The most famous pinch hitter in Red Sox history had 15 homers and an OPS of .931 as a part time player in 1977. But he was part of the Buffalo Heads and Don Zimmer is an idiot so he was shipped off to Cleveland for NO PLAYERS. So if you are keeping track, in the end the Sox dealt Fergie Jenkins, Bill Lee, Bernie Carbo and Jim Willoughby in exchange for Stan Papi and Jon Poloni.


Reserve Catcher – Rich Gedman

Yet another native New Englander got the shaft from the front office. He was an All Star in 1986 and got some key post season hits. Yet was a victim of collusion and his career was never the same after the 1986 off season. Was unceremoniously dumped early in the 1990 season.







Reserve Catcher – Doug Mirabelli

It’s tough to put Mirabelli on here seeing how the Red Sox kept him employed for many years longer than any other team would… mainly because he could actually catch a knuckleball. That lone talent had him start Game 1 of the 2004 World Series and get a pair of World Series rings. The Sox decided to go with Kevin Cash instead of Dougie. No argument there, but why couldn’t they make that decision BEFORE spring training 2008 where Doug was cut. He accepted his 2007 World Series ring on opening day but he wouldn’t wear his uniform.

The Coaching Staff



Manager - Kevin Kennedy

Kennedy managed the Sox to a surprising division title in 1995. In 1996, a series of ill conceived deals gave Kennedy about 10 DHs and a decrepit bullpen. Kennedy turned the 1996 season around after a bad start and contended until the last weekend. But he clashed with Dan Duquette (see a pattern here?) Kennedy was dumped and has been a mainstay in the broadcast booth (and my XM Radio listening) ever since.





Coach – Tommy Harper

The Elk’s Club of Winter Haven Florida invited some of the Red Sox team and management to an event. Tommy Harper wasn’t invited. Why? It was a white only establishment. Tommy Harper complained to the media. So what did the Yawkey run Red Sox do? They fired Harper! Of course… because he was uppity. He sued and won an anti discrimination case. This wasn’t in the distant past. This was 1985. Ahhh the Yawkey legacy.




Coach – Joe Kerrigan

Yes I know technically he was the manager of the team… but was he really ever the manager? He was stuck in the manager’s role after Duquette dumped Jimy (sic) Williams. Duquette knew there was no way Kerrigan was going to keep his job when management switched over. But instead of letting him go, Duquette kept him on board into spring training where he went through the charade of being manager until the new ownership took over. When they did, to the surprise of nobody, he was let go.





The Front Office

GM – Dan Duquette

The Richard Nixon of Red Sox history.

So very talented at his job (lest we forget he brought in among others Pedro Martinez, Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek, Derek Lowe, Manny Ramirez and Johnny Damon. Plus he drafted Nomar Garciaparra and Kevin Youkilis.)

But he was either so controlling or so destructive that he seemed to alienate the entire organization. And despite consistently putting a contender on the field, he was also on the attack against the Boston press, the players and no doubt cussed out Paul Revere’s statue in the process. Whatever good he did for the team, he had to go. Heck, he was partially responsible for most of the players leaving in a huff above!


You aren't going to top that line up! Top to bottom with left and right handed power.
And that rotation where Fergie Jenkins is the #5 starter?

Let's hope the Red Sox, with Varitek and Ortiz at the end of their time in Boston this year get to exit more gracefully.

But then again, that wouldn't be the Red Sox way, would it?

It's better like this

I can be wrong.



I can be very wrong.



And I am man enough to admit when I am.



Last off season I begged Curt Schilling, Tom Glavine, Pedro Martinez, John Smoltz and Greg Maddux to all retire.



I figured their best years were behind them and they should all try to get into the Hall of Fame at once instead of seeing them struggle on for a few reputation crushing season.



Schilling and Maddux obliged.



Both Tom Glavine and John Smoltz pressed on and were eventually cut. Smoltz may have found a new home in St. Louis but Glavine is in Limbo.



The one I was most certain about was Pedro. He was no longer an elite pitcher. Hell he hadn't been elite since 2005, his first year with the Mets.



He was giving the Mets 5 1/3 innings a start with an ERA in the 5's. He was not able to help down the stretch when the Mets desperately needed a starter.



And nobody would sign him in the off season.



I thought he was toast, and I thought it was a horrible decision to go to Philadelphia.



But I was wrong.



In my scenario, the last game Pedro would have ever pitched was on September 25 last year where he let up a first inning homer to Micah Hoffpauir and let up 5 runs in 6 innings.



In reality? This could be his last game.



And where is it?

New Yankee Stadium?



When is it?

Forget September... this is NOVEMBER baseball.



What's at stake?

The Phillies' defense of their World Championship.



This is wonderful drama worthy of one of the most dramatic showmen in recent baseball history.



If he wins, he sends this World Series into the 7th game and possibly into the history books as a great series.



If he wins, it will be put the whole Grady Little 7th game to bed forever.



If he wins, he will do a better job of slaying his daddy than Oedipus ever did!



And if he loses?



Heck, what a way to go. His finale won't be an obscure game in September but a hail of bullets worthy of Tony Montana's demise.



Either way, it makes for great drama.



You were right Pedro to come back.



It's better like this.



Let's play ball.

Yeah Pedro is going to be dramatic but...

As one of the biggest Pedro Martinez fans that you will ever meet in your life, I am nervous about tonight's game.

Yankee bats aren't going to stay quiet two games in a row.

And the Dodger bats that Pedro quieted were not nearly as intimidating as the Yankee edition.

Plus there is the whole Daddy thing.

Besides, I think another left hander against this Yankee lineup would go a long way.

They have J. A. Happ waiting in the wings, and he pitched well in his lone start at Yankee Stadium (before *SURPRISE* Brad Lidge coughed it up.)

And besides, wouldn't there be a wonderful symmetry for Happ to go up against Burnett?

J. A. vs. A. J.!!!

It would be like a Sesame Street game!

Somewhere Grady Little is laiughing his ass off

People are now screaming that Charlie Manuel took Pedro out TOO SOON!

Keep in mind this was 6 seasons after the 7th Game in 2003 when all logic pointed to him being lifted in the 8th.

And he's had, what, 3 potential career ending injuries since then.

Yeah I know he was under 90 pitches. He also gave the Phillies 7 shutout innings when everyone on the planet was wondering if he could go more than 5.

To author and friend of Sully Baseball Michael X Ferraro's credit, he said on the phone to me during the 8th that Pedro should stay in since he only threw 87 pitches.

Have Utley turn a double play and this conversation is moot.

Pedro... can you find it in your heart to forgive me?

I've always been one of your biggest fans, Pedro... and for that reason I felt you should retire.

And because I am such a big fan, I wanted you to NOT pitch for the Phillies because I thought you were going to embarrass yourself.

Could you blame me? The 2006-2008 model of Pedro Martinez was hardly a world beater!

But here you are... being that wonderful late season acquisition. You cost the Phillies NOTHING and are giving the team at least a #3 starter.

And today you looked like an ace. 8 innings of shut out ball against a big league team? OK, they were the Mets... but still it is technically a major league team. 

It's 219 wins and counting and a playoff start is in the bag. 

I underestimated you.

I won't do THAT again.

I just hope that Pedro pitches in Fenway in the World Series, and that Lidge blows a Pedro lead.

It's a good time to be a former Red Sox pitcher!

Pedro dominates the Giants and out duels Tim Lincecum a day after Brad Penny somehow became an ace again and Smoltz looks good in St. Louis.

Hey Schilling!

How about stop blathering about taking Teddy Kennedy's Senate Seat and start getting your arm loose!

They way these former Sox are pitching, you might want to get on the mound and pick up a few W's.

(That would be wins and not Presidents you campaigned for!)

Last night was a great night for some of my all time favorites!

A great night in Fenway... not only with a Red Sox win, but also with a brief cameo by Jerry Remy in the booth.

I love Eckersley (who it turns out is pretty damn funny in the booth) and Dave Roberts is a joy...

But we NEED Remy calling games with Don!

If seeing Remy wasn't good enough, we got the return of Pedro.

Now look, it was only 5 innings and he got 12 runs of support... but he got career win number 215.

It's nice to have a three time Cy Young winning future Hall of Famer as your #5 starter.

Wouldn't that just make Mets fans thrilled? Seeing Pedro help the Phillies back to the World Series!

Speaking of some of my favorite future Hall of Famers at the end of their careers... Ken Griffey Jr came off the bench and ended one of the best games you will see all year.

I for whatever reason watched the extra innings of this game and saw Mark Kotsay pull an outrageous unassisted double play to save the game at one point.

And then with 2 outs in the 14th, Griffey smoked a hit and then The Kid smiled and acted like one while being mobbed by his teammates.

Hey baseball Gods... how about more nights like this one???

Noooooo Pedro!

I told you to retire!

Remember back in November when I told you, Schilling, Maddux, Glavine and Smoltz to all hang them up?

That if you did and joined Mike Mussina, then (assuming Schilling doesn't get in on the first ballot) that the Cooperstown celebration in 2014 would be a remarkable collection of aces who thrived when the sluggers were all 'roided up.

Schilling read the writing on the wall (and I assume this blog) and called it quits.

Maddux did the same.

But Glavine didn't and got unceremoniously cut.

Smoltz has found a spot with the Red Sox and the results have been mixed.

And now Pedro is going, not to the Dodgers where they have a cushy lead and play in a pitchers park, but to PHILADELPHIA?

You won't find a bigger fan of Pedro than me, but he was worthless with the Mets last year! And now he is going into one of the roughest places to play, with ZERO good will in the bank and will be pitching in a bandbox!

This isn't going to be good... why didn't you quit when you were ahead?!

Requiem for an away jersey

I like the Red Sox new away jerseys. I like the simple black letters on the front but I also like it isn't the block "BOSTON" letters that the Red Sox had from 1979 to 1989.

For those of you unfamiliar with that particular road uni, please watch any clip of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series.

And watch those clips at your own peril.

While I like the new unis (and I like them a Hell of a lot more than those new hideous caps) I felt that the old road uniforms shouldn't just be tossed into the closet without a proper farewell.

Before the 1990 season, the Red Sox introduced new road uniforms.

They had red letters on the front in the Red Sox font.

And, breaking from tradition they also had names on the back.

It's a shame that Carl Yastrzemski never had his name go from one arm pit to the other...

But Red Sox fans did see Garciaparra, VanLandingham and Matsuzaka crowd the back of the uni.

And as silly as it may sound to salute a uniform, we Red Sox fans should never forget the number of franchise changing moments (both good and bad) took place with players wearing this specific uniform.

I am willing to bet almost every Red Sox fan has had a screen saver with a player wearing these uniforms.

Let's count down the 20 Best Red Sox Moments in the Red lettered Road Jerseys.

20. Sox win a 1990 thriller in Toronto and spark a 10 game winning streak

On August 24th, 1990, the Blue Jays and Red Sox faced off a day after a thrilling bottom of the 9th Toronto win. The Jays had pulled to within a single game. Rookie Dana Kiecker and Jimmy Key exchanged zeroes throughout the game. In the 9th, the Red Sox got back to back RBI singles from mid season acquisitions Mike Marshall and Tom Brunansky.

Jeff Gray (appropriately in his road grays) got the Blue Jays in order for the save. This would start a 10 game winning streak for the Sox... and they would need every win as they clinched on the final day of the season.

19. Mo Vaughn and Donnie Sadler (!!!) power the Sox past O's

On September 17, 1998, the Red Sox were closing in on a Wild Card berth, but faced Mike Mussina in Camden Yards.

Mussina was throwing a shutout with 2 outs in the 7th inning when reserve infielder Donnie Sadler hit a game tying two run homer.

Mussina pitched 9 innings but the Sox kept the Orioles off the board as well. Armando Benitez came in and did what he does best... blow games in the fall. He let two on and Arthur Rhodes came in to face Mo Vaughn, who drove in Darren Lewis.

The Red Sox won, giving Dennis Eckersley his 197th and final victory.

18. Hideo Nomo's unbelievable Sox debut

On the second game of the 2001 season, the Red Sox were trying to rebound from an extra inning loss in the opener.

Hideo Nomo took the hill for his Red Sox debut wearing his road grays in Baltimore. Nobody could have prayed for a better start.

He let up a walk in the first but settled down. And when Brian Daubach homered in the 3rd and again in the 8th, he had a 3-0 lead to work with.

In the 9th inning, Nomo retired Brady Anderson, Mike Bordick and Delino Deshields in order for his second career no hitter. Quite a debut!

It was also the first no hitter caught by Jason Varitek. He would catch three more.

17. Wakes throws a gem... three days after throwing a gem

The 1995 Red Sox needed reinforcements in the rotation in late May. Manager Kevin Kennedy turned to knuckleballer Tim Wakefield, who hadn't pitched a big league game since 1993.

In his first game on May 27th in Anaheim, he pitched 7 innings letting up 1 run as the Red Sox cruised to a 12-1 win.

Three days later, again on the road, Kennedy had to turn to Wakefield again. He let up a first inning single to Geronimo Berroa, but kept the A's hitless for the next 6 innings. The Red Sox gave him only a 1-0 lead, but there was no reason to take him out.

Finally in the 8th, the A's got on base and the bullpen preserved the 1-0 win. Wakefield would throw a complete game 4 days later at Fenway and the eventual '95 Division Champs had stumbled upon a work horse!

16. Pedro Martinez versus Gerald Williams

Pedro Martinez plunked Devil Rays lead off hitter Gerald Williams to start the game on August 29th, 2000 in the Trop.

Williams paused a moment and then charged the mound. Punches were thrown. Benches were cleared and when the dust settled, Williams was ejected and Pedro was still on the mound.

He retired the next three hitters in the first. Then he threw a 1-2-3 second... and third... and fourth... and fifth... and sixth... and seventh... and eighth.

He let up a lead off single in the 9th to John Flaherty but finished the shutout with 1 hit, no walks, 13 strikeouts... and one ticked off Gerald Williams.

15. A sweep in the Bronx hints that 2004 might be different

The Red Sox, retooled after the Aaron Boone debacle, wore their road grays into Yankee Stadium in late April of 2004. 

The first game was an 11-2 Red Sox blow out. The second game was a 12 inning thriller squeaked out by the Sox.

In the finale, Pedro Martinez and Javy Vasquez locked up in a pitchers duel. Manny Ramirez homered in the 4th inning to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.

Pedro and Scott Williamson (remember him?) made it stick. The Red Sox left town in first place and while they didn't win the Division, they didn't seem intimidated by Yankee Stadium. They certainly weren't in October!

14. The Red Sox begin their World Series defense a lonnnnng way from home!

What better venue to begin the 2008 season than The Tokyo Dome? Such tradition for an A's/Red Sox match up.

Daisuke Matsuzaka wasn't sharp early as the Sox fell behind 2-0 but Manny Ramirez and Brandon Moss (remember him?) each drove in a run in the 6th to tie the game. 

Hideki Okajima wiggled out of trouble in the 9th and in the top of the 10th, Manny drove in another run to give the Sox the lead. As Red Sox nation slept, the title defense began with a win. 

Why the A's were the home team is anyone's guess!

13. Josh Beckett calmly begins the comeback.

There was no one dramatic moment to signal the great comeback for the 2007 Red Sox. There was no Dave Henderson homer... no Trot Nixon walk off blast... no Dave Roberts stolen base...

Just the prescience of Josh Beckett.

I remember my friend Kevin Hench predicting doom and gloom as the Sox fell 3-1 in the 2007 ALCS and faced C. C. Sabathia in Cleveland.

I said "Beckett is going to win and the Sox will win the next two in Fenway." He thought I was a Pollyanna. When Grady Sizemore hit a bloop double and scored in the first, Hench was predicting an ending that made Revelations seem like a trip to the spa.

Beckett was calm, worked out of trouble, and wasn't even fazed when Kenny Lofton tried to charge the mound. 

He didn't even care that his ex girlfriend sang God Bless America.

Beckett pitched 8 solid innings, giving up only the first inning run, walking 1 and striking out 11. The American Bad Ass would win the series MVP, mainly on the strength of his calm season series win in his road grays.

12. Manny and Mueller deliver in Oakland.

In a critical late season showdown for the 2003 Wild Card, the Red Sox and A's met in Oakland on August 14th.

Ted Lilly had out pitched Tim Wakefield and the A's handed the ball over to Keith Foulke to close the game.

Manny led off the 10th, fouled off 4 two strike pitches and smacked a game tying homer.

Bill Mueller drove in the go ahead run in the 10th and the Sox tacked on an insurance run for good measure. The Red Sox were off and running and would meet the A's again in the Division Series.

11. Schilling's near no hitter.

On June 7, 2007 the Red Sox were playing in Oakland. I was living across the Bay in Mountain View... and the game wasn't on TV and I could barely find it on the radio.

I expressed my frustration with this last year.

And what I barely heard crackling on my radio was 40 year old Curt Schilling mowing down the A's and come within 2 outs of a no hitter before allowing a Shannon Stewart single in the 9th.

He completed the game (in those road grays) which was a 1-0 Sox win.

You wouldn't want THAT shown on TV, would you A's?

10. Pedro dominates the Yankees...

You read that right. The Yankees weren't always Pedro's daddy. On September 10th, 1999, the Red Sox still had some hope they might catch the Yankees for the Division.

Pedro and Andy Pettitte locked up in a great pitchers duel. Chili Davis homered in the second inning. AND THAT WAS IT for the Yankees.

No other hits. No other walks. The other 27 at bats were outs. 17 of those were strikeouts thrown by Pedro... clad in his beautiful road grays.

9. It's the Same Old Song in Anaheim

2008 was supposed to be different in the playoffs. Sure the Red Sox and Angels were squaring off for the third time in five seasons...

But the Angels were retooled, healthy, fresh off of 100 wins and were the class of the American League.

But 2008 seemed a lot like 2004 and 2007 when the Red Sox came to town in the their gray unis. Lester and Bay beat the Angels in Game 1 and J.D. Drew stunned K-Rod with a 9th inning homer to give the Red Sox a 2-0 series lead which they would ultimately clinch in Boston.

8. Pedro and Roger duel in one of the greatest regular season games of all time

I will never forget watching the Red Sox and Yankees square off on May 28, 2000. I watched the game with my dad and with Ritchie Duncan... and it couldn't have been more riveting if it were a playoff game.

Clemens had a 3 hit shutout and 13 strikeouts with two outs in the top of the 9th.

Pedro matched him zero for zero with 8 shutout innings.

Jeff Frye singled with two outs and nobody on off of Clemens and Trot Nixon hit a two run homer to give the Sox the lead.

Pedro came out to pitch the 9th. He let up two quick base runners and let up a deep fly ball to Bernie Williams that looked like a walk off three run jack. Instead Nixon caught it.

Pedro got Tino Martinez out to end the game and get the complete game shutout. To this day, I think it is the greatest pitched regular season game by two pitchers I have ever seen.

The guy in the road jersey won it!

7. Give Clemens some love...

There was a time when Roger Clemens looked like a Hall of Famer and the following words weren't associated with him:

Mysteriously bulky, Brian McNamee, underaged country singers, steroids, appearing in George Steinbrenner's box to the amazement of Suzyn Waldman, throwing a bat at Mike Piazza.

Back then he was a hot headed but brilliantly talented (and trim) pitcher for the Red Sox whose crowning achievement (along with three Cy Young Awards) was a 20 strikeout masterpiece in 1986.

As the 1996 season was winding down and an ugly contract dispute was brewing, Clemens amazingly reached back and matched it. He struck out 20 Tigers on September 19, 1996 and walked none. When he returned to Boston, the Red Sox put a replica of the two uniforms Clemens wore in his 20 strikeout games on the centerfield wall.

One was a home jersey... the other was a road gray.

6. Pedro cements his legend... out of the bullpen

With Game 5 of the Division Series getting out of hand into a wild slug fest, Pedro came out of the bullpen to establish order.

He did so with 6 innings out of the pen... 6 innings of no hit baseball.

If his marvelous 1999 season wasn't enough to make him a Boston legend, his carrying the Sox into the ALCS by sheer will clinched it... literally... in the road unis.

5. Pedro, Manny, Lowe and company win the most underrated clinching game of the decade

The 2003 Division Series with Oakland was a jaw droppingly tense and competitive series. A 12 inning come from behind Game 1 win for the A's. The Red Sox winning in 11 (during my wedding) to stay alive in game 4. The Red Sox came back with 2 in the 8th to win game 4. But the Game 5 finale was sublime.

Pedro pitched into the 8th, Varitek hit a game tying homer. Manny styled at home with his go ahead bomb and Grady Little had to bring in Derek Lowe to get out of a "two on, nobody out, series on the line jam."

He struck out Terrence Long with the bags full and did an innnnteresting hand gesture to the A's dugout.

Another away jersey memory!

4. We get to see TWO World Championships in our lifetime!

In case anyone wondered if 2004 was a once in a lifetime fluke... we get to see another World Series celebration!

Now we can be greedy. Now we can say "Hey, I want to see maybe a few more!"

Red Sox fans dared not even THINK of more than one World Series title before 2004. Thanks to 2007 we can now say "Hey. We can get used to this."

As with 2004... the celebration was done in the road unis.

But wait a minute. How can this be only #4? How can three other games trump a World Series title?

Remember we are Red Sox fans...

We are a petty petty lot. It's not just that we win. Our enemies must lose... which brings us to #3...

3. GAME SIX!!!!

No not the Fisk one...

No not the Buckner one...

The NEW Game Six!

When Schilling bled through his sock... he was wearing the red lettered road uni.

When A-Rod slapped the ball out of Arroyo's glove, guess which uniform Bronson was wearing.

When Foulke struck out Clark to force Game 7... you get the picture.

2. Toppling the 2004 Yankees.

Usually the phrase "beyond my wildest dreams" is bogus. People dream wild things and as a Red Sox fan living in New York during the Torre years, I had many wild dreams of how the Red Sox could beat the Yankees.

And I can honestly say I never imagined being down 3-0 in the series with Rivera on the mound in the 9th of Game 4... and making the Yankees the first baseball team to ever cough up a 3-0 lead.

Game 7 was basically a blowout (save for the bizarre relief appearance by Pedro) but perhaps that's what made it so sweet. The Yankees didn't even show up. And the Yankees haven't won a post season series since... and Red Sox fans have something we never thought we'd have:

Ammo against Yankee fans!

Petty? Sure. But so so fun. And they were wearing the red lettered road jerseys!

1. Winning the 2004 World Series.

The grand daddy moment. The event we thought we'd never see happen. The event that we made bargains with the devil to see.

We finally saw that moment... and they were wearing the road uniforms.

Admit it... you still think about that Game. And if you do admit that... then you must also admit that you will always be imagining those road uniforms.

That reason above all makes me believe the old road uniforms deserve a proper farewell.

Jerry Seinfeld once said that sports fans root for laundry.

I'll take it one better... I will HONOR laundry!