Dear Red Sox Nation,
In January I said you were a piecemeal team who could maybe scratch out a few wins. The Orioles had more power in the line-up. You could never beat the Rays in Fenway with Price on the mound. A wild card berth would be lucky.
In April you had no bullpen when Joel Hanrahan went down. At the All-Star break I wondered how long a lineup of also-rans and young guys could hold up.
Then you led the majors in wins.
The playoffs began and the Rays had better pitching. They had Price, Moore, Helickson, and Rodney out of the pen. The Tigers had three Aces and former MVPs up and down the order.
Then you won the AL pennant.
Then Cardinals were the same team as you, but with much more experience. They had more intimating pitchers and an even more intimating lineup.
Then you went up 3-2 in the World Series.
Going in to Game 6 I said Wacha was going to shut down the Red Sox. His fastball would stifle the Red Sox order. The pressure of the moment would silence the bats. Beltran, Holiday, and Molina would tee off on the now elderly John Lackey. For the last time, I thought I was positive they wouldn’t win Game 6.
Then you won the World Series.
You didn’t win the World Series with a late season push or some crazy magic. You did it with the best record in baseball. In the hardest division in baseball. Never having to play a win or go home game for the entire playoffs. It was pure domination from April to the end of October.
Once again, I am sorry. I feel like a dope today. I should go to the parade in full Red Sox gear and bow down to the team I said could never win.
Koji was overrated. Oritz’s bat would go cold because he was getting old. Lester is not a true ace. Victorino had lost a step. Gomes was a liability in left. Bogarts couldn’t handle the pressure.
Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. WRONG!
You played team baseball in the truest sense of the word. You had SIX pitchers the last few months could give them six ore more good innings. A bullpen that was as good as anyone’s come playoff time. Led by Tazawa, Breslow, and the man they call Koji Uehera.
The line-up produced all year long, with different guys contributing each time. I could go on and on, but the title of 2013 World Series Champs says enough.
Congratulations to the Boston Red Sox. I will never doubt you again.
Sincerely,
Nathan Bubes
P.S. The Red Sox have no chance to repeat. They will be lucky to make playoffs.
