Tag: fenway park

2014 Red Sox Opening Day Roster Set

The 2014 Opening Day roster for the defending world champion Boston Red Sox has been set by manager John Farrell.

The defending 2013 world champion Boston Red Sox are set to open the 2014 regular reason tomorrow in Baltimore against the Orioles, an American League East division rival. The Red Sox, who surpassed the expectations of most prognosticators last season to win their third World Series in ten seasons, will be managed for a second year by John Farrell. After finishing the opening series, Boston will open Fenway Park this Friday versus the Milwaukee Brewers.

Many familiar faces remain on the roster from last season, including designated hitter and World Series MVP David Ortiz, second baseman Dustin Pedroia, outfielder Shane Victorino, starting pitchers Jon Lester, John Lackey, and Clay Buchholz, and closer Koji Uehara. Another familiar face who returns as a starter will be shortstop Xander Bogaerts, who is the youngest player to open the season at that position for the Red Sox since Everett Scott in 1914, according to Gorden Edes at ESPNBoston.com.

Some of the new faces include veteran catcher A.J. Pierzynski, outfielder Grady Sizemore, and reliever Edward Mujica. In what was a relatively quiet spring, Sizemore was the big story; returning to baseball after being limited to 112 games between 2010-2011 and no games over the past two season, he outperformed expectations and displaced Jackie Bradley, the expected starting center fielder, from the major league roster.

Continue reading “2014 Red Sox Opening Day Roster Set”

Ten Years Gone

Ten years ago today, I finally stopped procrastinating, purchased the fenwayfanatics.com domain name, and debuted the “home to Boston Red Sox baseball fans everywhere.”

I’m never gonna leave you. I never gonna leave
Holdin’ on, ten years gone
Ten years gone, holdin’ on, ten years gone
— Led Zeppelin, Ten Years Gone

What a wonderful journey these last ten years have been.

On 17 March 2004, I finally stopped procrastinating, purchased the fenwayfanatics.com domain name, and debuted a new web site, which I tagged as the “home to Boston Red Sox baseball fans everywhere.” My intent was to share my interest in this team and its rich history from the perspective of an “everyday fan.”

Continue reading “Ten Years Gone”

Time Is Right To Retire Wade Bogg’s Number

The time is right to let bygones be bygones and give one final honor to one of the best players to ever wear a Red Sox uniform.

The Red Sox employ a rather strict policy related to the retirement of uniform numbers; to be considered, you need first to have played a minimum of ten years with the team and you must also be elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame.

To date, only one person has received this honor who has not met these criteria; Johnny Pesky, whose number 6 was retired in 2008, was recognized for more than 60 years of nearly uninterrupted time with the franchise as a player, a manager, coach, and instructor.

There is also one player who meets these criteria but whose number is absent from the façade in right field: former third baseman Wade Boggs.

Continue reading “Time Is Right To Retire Wade Bogg’s Number”

2013 Boston Red Sox Are World Series Champions!

Majestic Boston Red Sox 2013 MLB World Series Champions World Domination Clubhouse Locker Room T-Shirt - Gray
Majestic Boston Red Sox 2013 MLB World Series Champions World Domination Clubhouse Locker Room T-Shirt – Gray

For the eighth time in team history and the third time in the past ten seasons, the Boston Red Sox are the world champions of baseball, winning the 2013 World Series championship thanks to a 6-1 win in Game Six.  David Ortiz was named the series MVP after batting .688 / .760 / 1.188 with 11 hits, including two home runs at six RBI. Down 2-1 after three games, Boston won three straight to close the series and clinch a world championship at Fenway Park for the first time since 1918, when the Red Sox beat the Chicago Cubs four games to two, with Carl Mays earning the win.

John Lackey picked up the win for Boston in the final game and became the first pitcher in league history to win the clinching game of a World Series twice, having done it once before in Game Seven of the 2002 World Series for the Anaheim Angels.  The Red Sox also became the first time to win three World Series in the 21st century.

Continue reading “2013 Boston Red Sox Are World Series Champions!”

2013 World Series Begins Wednesday on FOX

The Boston Red Sox, winners of the American League pennant, and the St. Louis Cardinals, winners of the National League pennant, who have met three times before in postseason history, are set to kick off the 2013 World Series Wednesday night at Fenway Park. Tickets are available and all games will be broadcast on the FOX Network.

Continue reading “2013 World Series Begins Wednesday on FOX”

Did You Know? – Highest Season Win Totals in Red Sox Franchise History

Majestic Boston Red Sox 2013 AL East Division Champions Clubhouse Locker Room T-Shirt - Gray
Majestic Boston Red Sox 2013 AL East Division Champions Clubhouse Locker Room T-Shirt – Gray

With Boston’s 15-5 win Wednesday night in Colorado, the Red Sox now stand at 96-63 with three games to play this season.  The 96 wins matches the same number of games won by the 2007 world championship team. This is made even more remarkable given that the team won just 69 games last season, its worst season since 1965, when Boston limped to a record of 62-100.

Continue reading “Did You Know? – Highest Season Win Totals in Red Sox Franchise History”

Today In History – Duffy Lewis Is Born

18 April 1888 – On this day 125 years ago, former Boston Red Sox outfielder Duffy Lewis is born in San Francisco, CA.  Lewis was the starting left fielder for three world championships with Boston (1912, 1915, and 1916) and played as part of the team’s “Million Dollar Outfield” for six seasons with Tris Speaker in center field and Harry Hooper in right field beginning in 1910.

Continue reading “Today In History – Duffy Lewis Is Born”

Opening Day at Fenway Park – There Is No Equal

There is no doubt in my mind that spring is my favorite season.  The sun stays up later, the grass begins to grow, my grill gets more use… above all, though, is the fact that it means baseball and, more importantly, the Boston Red Sox have returned.

Sure, they’ve been playing baseball since late February this year, but that’s spring training, which is like the appetizer before the main course; it’s only meant to whet your palate.  We want the main course, regular season baseball, and more importantly, we want regular season baseball in New England.  That first week on the road?  Simply the aroma of what’s to come.

Continue reading “Opening Day at Fenway Park – There Is No Equal”

Did You Know? – The Red Sox and Losing Seasons

The 2012 Boston Red Sox season is likely one that the organization and fans alike will want to soon forget.  In celebrating the 100th anniversary of Fenway Park, the team finished 69-93, which broke a stretch of 14 straight winning seasons.  Before that, the last Red Sox team to suffer through a losing season was in 1997, when first-year manager Jimy Williams and rookie Nomar Garciaparra ended the season with a disappointing 78-84 record.  The team also finished in last place for the first time since 1992, when another first-year manager, Butch Hobson, and pitcher Roger Clemens finished in seventh place in the American League East.

Continue reading “Did You Know? – The Red Sox and Losing Seasons”