Flash forward to Friday, 9/12/2008, its afternoon in the Red Sox clubhouse, DHL (the official shipper of MLB) shows up with a package addressed to Jonathan Papelbon. Papelbon grabs the package, shakes it and rips through the outside wrapping to reveal a nicely wrapped package with an attached card. Paps grabs the card undoes the envelope and pulls it it reads “Thanks for Tuesday night!” Paps then turns his attention to the package, his curiosity peaked, and he tears into the package like a 4-year old at Christmas. What’s in the box – a turd sandwich, complete with mini-packets of various condiments.
The Red Sox missed a chance to take over first-place and lost tonight, 5-4, top the Rays. Losing in a fashion that, pre-2004, would have brought forth references to the “Curse of Joe Sambino”. The Sox trailed most of the game after an all too typical performance by the 100 million dollar man, Daisuke Matsuzaka, 5 innings, roughly 900 pitches, multiple walks, hit batters and a virtual Houdini act to get out of trouble in each inning. In the 8th, Jason Bay hit a 2-run home run to give the Sox a 4-3 lead. This was to be as demoralizing of a loss as could be for the already reeling Rays, one that might send them into a Tampa-esque 2-13 stretch that not only eliminates them from the division but has them on the outside looking in at the wildcard.
Enter Jonathan Papelbon. First batter ties the game with a home run. Carlos Pena hit, right? Sure sometimes good hitters get the best of good pitchers. No, Dan Johnson hit the home run. Minor leaguer Dan Johnson, in his second at bat of the season! Two more Punch and Judy’s hit ringing doubles to give the Rays the lead.
Look, I cannot rip Paps, without him no way the Sox win 2007 World Series, but it’s September and you do not blow saves in September/October. If you keep blowing saves in September/October you’re going to end up like Rivera and the Yankees, title-less in this millennium! Well that cannot happen, but you get the point!
