The 2006 Red Sox season is over. I’m not the first to make this statement, and I won’t be the last. So you’ve got to look for the little things to make the rest of the games worthwhile.

A quick bit of background. Carlos Pena, who was picked up off waivers in August, was born in the Dominican Republic but moved to Haverhill, Mass when he was in elementary school. He grew up a huge Red Sox fan, and attended Northeastern for college.

When I was in the dugout in Oakland, he was talking with Theo and I believe the traveling secretary about getting around in Boston. The traveling secretary finally conceded to Pena, “I think you know the city a lot better than I do.”

Every kid who watches baseball dreams of hitting a walkoff home run for his hometown team. Whether it’s in the backyard, or in bed while trying to fall asleep, the announcer’s call is always the same: “There’s a deep drive to right, the fielder looks up and this ball is gone! The Red Sox win!” (OK, I was an ambitious kid; mine was always a grand slam.)

Congrats Carlos, it’s always exciting to see a kid live out his dream.