Ladies and Gentlemen the 2007 AL East Champions

Wow. For the first time since 1995 the Red Sox are the American League East Champions, bridesmaids no more. Boy it feels good to say that, even if the Yankees made the playoffs the fact that they are the Wild Card and the Sox are the AL East Champs makes it that much sweeter.

Just to put this into perspective lets take a look at exactly how long ago 1995 was. One I was 11 years old and going into the second month of sixth grade alternating between my Drew Bledsoe Patriots jersey and my Natron Means Chargers jersey. Yeah Natron Means.

Here are a couple of other September/October 1995 factoids. DVD, the optical disc computer storage format was developed. Cal Ripken broke the all time consecutive games played record (September 6). O.J. Simpson was in the news. The first Million Man March was held. GoldenEye came out and Toy Story, the first feature length animated film was released. Coolio’s ‘Gangsta’s Paradise’ and Shaggy’s ‘Boombastic’ were the top music singles. Oh and the Drew Carey show and JAG both premiered, which was clearly big news. Ok this is getting brutal we have come along way.

The 2007 Sox look a little different then the 1995 Sox did too. Can you name another player on the team besides Wake and Mo Vaughn? How about this starting nine –

C – Mike Macfarlane
1B – Mo
2B – Luis Alicea
3B – Tim Naehring
SS – John Valentin
OF – Mike Greenwell
OF – Troy O’Leary
OF – Lee Tinsley
DH – Jose Canseco

Also see – Willie McGee, Bill Haselmen and Reggie Jefferson.

The Pitchers are even more fun I can’t name one besides Clemens, Wake and Aaron Sele so I looked these guys up and let’s just say I feel a whole lot better about the 2007 Red Sox now.

p.s. – Aaron Sele was 25.

Zane Smith, Vaughn Eshelmen and Erik Hanson (to be far he went 15-5). The Bullpen – Stan Belinda, Rheal Cormier, Mike Maddox and the closer…Rick Aguilera and Jeff Suppan made eight appearances as a 20 year old.

Really if the pitchers have you a little bit nervous going into the post season this year just look at these guys. Wake had the lowest ERA on the team and went 16-8. In short Wake was the ace; I think we are in better shape. At least I hope so since they got swept out of the playoffs in ’95.

I’m watching today’s game since it’s like garbage game day in the NFL, it’s a weird Sox game. I was at the last game last year and that was weird because the Sox were out of it, it was only exciting because it was Trot’s final game. Watching this year’s game is just as weird because it’s almost meaningless.

Obviously it’s important because the Red Sox are still finding out if certain things will work for the postseason but its funny because of things like Don Orsilo handing over the reigns to Jerry Remy for the ‘homer inning’. I must say it’s pretty funny, he sounds like a Jake. He just started chanting MVP for Mike Lowell too…I guess I am a homer.

I just have a couple of final thoughts on the regular season. One Pedroia is probably going to be the Rookie of the Year. The first game I went to this year people were chanting “don’t’ suck Pedroia” pretty good turn around huh?

Youkilis just came out of the game and finished the regular season with no errors. Not a one. He has to get serious consideration for a Gold Glove. I know there are always incumbents but no errors for an entire year after switching positions that’s gotta be a Gold Glove year.

It’s sad to know that this is the last NESN game of the season. I really wish there was some way that NESN could do the post season games but it will be good to hear Don doing the DS games on TBS. I just hope that they put him on the Red Sox games but then again that might make too much sense. I need to stop thinking about this; all I can hear is Tim McCarver and Joe Buck…ahhhhhh.

One of the things about this game that’s neat is that the Sox are throwing virtually their entire bullpen to get guys work and see how guys like Lester are out of the Bullpen. I talked to Reynolds the other day about the 10/11 pitchers for the first round and this is what I’ve come up with, since they shut down Buchholz.

The Starters
Beckett
Schilling
Dice K
The Tweener
Wake
The Closer
Paps
The Bullpen
MDC
Okie
Mike ‘Live Free or Die’ Timlin
Gagne
On the Bubble
Javy Lopez
Lester
Brian Corey
Sox Appeal
Papelbon’s alter ego Bud-Light-24-pack-head-underwear man

As for the NFL this weekend

Here are my picks:

Houston
NY Jets
Baltimore
Dallas
Detroit
Oakland
Green Bay
Carolina
San Fran
Pittsburg
Indy
San Diego Super Chargers
Philly

Monday Night Football – Pats 34 – Bungles 13

Oh crap I almost forgot. Thank you Melvin Mora, enjoy you’re standing ovation at Fenway next year.