Mom, look! They signed my jersey!

Best…bling…ever.

What does a man have to do to go for a leisurely walk these days?

If this is what I was going to get myself into, I should have stuck with the Dodgers.

Rock, Paper, Champage…shoot!

Tastes like chicken!

I’m naming you Manny Delcarmen IV.

I’ve got the munchies too!

Who’s your Papi?

How you like me now?

I’m…speechless.

Due to my state of being on a natural high last night (or, as Mike Lowell called it, cloud nine), I thought it might be nice to do kind of a running post throughout the day of random thoughts that come to my mind. So, here we go:

• Any Sox fan who isn’t walking around with a smile from ear to ear today needs to get their head examined (honestly, if you’re only smiling on one side, chances are you had a stroke when Okajima gave up the 2-run homer).
• I got a very nice email from my Dad (who bleeds Dodger Blue, not Sox Red) last night telling me to “savor every minute.” I am Dad, thanks.
• There’s also a good chance he and the rest of the Dodger fans are wondering how a team with JD Drew and Julio Lugo could win the World Series.
• Meet your 2008 All-Star Game managers: Terry Francona and Clint Hurdle. Oh yeah and it’ll be at The Toilet (aka MFY Stadium).
• Fox put up a poll during the game last night asking which was the better team, the 2004 Red Sox or the 2007 Red Sox. In my mind, no question, it’s the 04 Sox. As much as I like this team, and as happy as I am right now, the 04 Sox had to overcome a 3-0 deficit to the MFY with all the anxiety and pressure from a fan-base that hadn’t won a World Series in 86 years. For that reason the celebration also feels completely different. Last night I was extremely happy, but in 04 I partied like it was December 31, 1999 and we just learned that the Y2K bug was just a myth so the world wouldn’t end the next day. Contrary to what tons of national sports columnists have said, the champagne didn’t taste any less sweet.
• Papelbon after arriving back at Fenway: “I partied all night and puked all morning, so I’m pretty worn out right now…” Our closer is crazy and awesome.

I reek of a World Series MVP cigar (aka a Cuban) and cheap champagne, life can’t be much better. The Boston Red Sox are the 2007 World Series Champions. They did it with great pitching, timely hitting, and as much as I hate to admit it, perfect managing.

First, I’d like to bring you back to a quote I made about a week ago:

While it would make an amazing story to have Lester, one year removed from being diagnosed with cancer, get the win in a clinching game four, I don?t see it happening.

I have never been so happily wrong. Lester not only got the win, but was fantastic against the Rockies. He got into a few jams, but quickly got out of all of them. Considering that he’s a mere 23 (yes, this means I’ve given up my dream of pitching for the Sox), this was the best performance I’ve ever seen out of him.

Much like the 2004 team, it seemed like every game this team had a new star. Ellsbury got the game started properly by doubling and scoring (1-0). Then your World Series MVP, Mr. Doubles himself got the Sox their second run with a leadoff double followed by a single from the Captain (2-0). (I’m ignoring JD Drew grounding out to the pitcher, that was to be expected.)

Of course Doubles can do more than just double, as he led off the 6th inning by crushing Aaron Cook’s final pitch of the night to left for a solo shot (3-0). Start putting the champagne on ice.

But the Sox pen couldn’t make it easy. Delcarmen looked good reliving Lester and getting the final out of the 6th. But then in the 7th, he gave up a leadoff homer (3-1), and Timlin did a great job in the 6th by reliving Lester and getting the final two outs of the inning.

In the top of the 7th Tito worked the relief pitcher/pinch hitter roles perfectly as he inserted Bobby Kielty for Timlin. When I saw Kielty at bat here was my reaction: Bobby Kielty is pinch hitting???? (and before I could finish that line) Bobby Kielty is pinch hitting!!!! (as he smacked one over the left field wall). Suddenly the Sox were up 4-1 with 6 outs to go an life was looking good.

But Okajima couldn’t keep things comoforatable giving up a 2-run shot to Garrett Atkins while only getting a single out before Tito had to pull him for Papelbon.

• Ground out to short, four outs left.
• Long fly ball to Coco, three outs left.
• Ground out to second, two outs left.
• Long fly ball, deep to left field, Ellsbury going back, to the track, he jumps and…makes the catch!, one out left.
• Swing and a miss, strike three! The Red Sox are World Series champions!

Honestly, I can’t put into type the feeling of having the Sox win the World Series. In the next few days I’ll post a bit more coherently. But to sum it up: it’s fantastic. And so, it seems only appropriate to post the last and final edition of the playoff bear, complete with champagne:

I love that Dirty Watah. Oh, Boston you’re my home.

Most people right now couldn’t be more excited that the Sox are one game from another World Series victory. Screw that, I’m a Red Sox fan. After three games, the Sox are now four games from losing another World Series. Only four games people!!!

But before they got to that point, the managed to win the most tense 10-5 game in baseball history. You might ask how a 10-5 victory make you worry that you’re about to blow a series? Here’s how:

• Jump out to a 6-0 lead.
• Have Dice-K pitch great for 5 innings, but then have him lose control with 1 out in the 6th
• Bring in Lopez (why Tito, why??) to give up two singles to cut the lead to 6-2
• Replace Lopez with Timlin, to promptly give up two VERY loud outs.
• Let Timlin lead off the next inning and, but don’t remove him until he gives up 2 hits.
• Replace Timlin with Oki, to give up a 3-run homer to Holliday on his first pitch to make the game 6-5.
• Get those three runs back in the top of the 8th, to make the game 9-5.
• Just when you start to feel comfortable again, bring in Delcarmen to get the first two outs, but then give up a single and a walk.
• Have Papelbon come in and get Holliday to fly out to left.
• Oh yeah, and make it game 3 of the World Series.

For a game where the Sox had leads of 6, 4, and 5 at different points, it’s hard to make people hyperventilate. But this is the Red Sox, and they’ve made winning an art-form. Only when their fans are at the brink of a psychotic breakdown will they pull it out. It’s like Tito was just trying to screw with us. Really, Dice-K looked done after five. But he brought him out for the 6th anyways. Timlin didn’t have anything even though he got out of the 6th, so Tito brought him out for the 7th. And Oki, wow. Home run, single, K, K, 1-3. Talk about bouncing back.

I was truly terrified when Holliday hit that home run that the Sox would not only blow this game, but in turn the series. How do you blow a 6 run lead and come back to win? But as usual, they were just toying with us.

Despite the fact that he looked cooked in the 6th, Dice-K really did look fantastic for the first five innings. He kept runners off base, and seemed to stay one pitch ahead of all of them. It reminded me a little of Pedro in 04 in the WS. Not his best stuff by far, but just good enough to turn the 3-2 pitch into an out instead of a walk.

Mike “I still haven’t come up with a good nickname for him yet, yes, even after two years” Lowell is cementing his case for Theo to throw him an “I know this deal isn’t good in the long run, but we need you back” contract a la Tek. Lowell may only win a foot race against Doug Mirabelli, but when it was clear that a 4 run lead in the 9th wasn’t good enough he led off with a single was bunted to second, stole third (you read that right) and scored on a sac fly. The guy can do everything.

As a result of being just four games from a World Series loss, here’s the playoff beard about to hit week four. Don’t let up.

Who else would come up with this headline?

Red Sox Attempt To Break Fabled ‘Curse Of Relief Pitcher Curtis Leskanic’

Brilliant.

Update: And now there’s this.

Ahhh, baseball live on TV. What a novel concept!

Let’s hope that title is premature. There are a number of reasons not to like Schilling, but I was ecstatic when the Sox got him in the trade four years ago. For all he’s done for the Sox, how can you not want to see him in a Sox uniform on the mound at Fenway again…next season. Plus, I’m not quite ready to have my Red Sox jersey with the number “38″ on the back go from the “current players” section of the store to the “throwback jerseys” section.

Schilling’s clearly not the same pitcher that pitched with the bloody sock four years ago. Even with a good ankle he just doesn’t have the fastball anymore, and putting together seven innings seems to be tough for him. But last night was the best pitching performance of October for the big Schill this season, all 16/3 innings of it (for you non-math people, that’s 5 1/3). If you could sum up this start in one word, it would without question be “gutsy.” That word gets thrown around a lot, often because pitchers suck and keep getting themselves into trouble and then out of it. But sometimes you can tell that a pitcher just doesn’t have good enough stuff to get batters to miss, and so instead they have to be perfect with everything they’ve got. That was Schilling last night. How good were his 16 outs? Just read this stat from Tom Verducci at SI:

There have been 124 starters in the postseason history of Fenway Park. Only five of them ever won with no more than two runs.

Of course, before Schilling thanks the Academy, he’d better thank his supporting cast (as he call’s them “Papel-jima”). Okajima was spectacular. Seven batters, seven outs. And the first two outs came when he inherited Schilling’s mini-mess in the 6th with one out and two on. This was the same Okajima that was the “hero in the dark” at the beginning of the season. The same one who had to save a one run lead against the MFY back in May against Jeter, and A-Fraud and made it look easy. If baseball gave out game-balls, he’d be first in line for last night. Oh yeah, and there’s that crazy Papbelbon guy getting four outs. One of them thanks to Matt Holliday attending the Jeff Suppan School of Baserunning, but you expected that, right?

Offensively, it was the Mike Lowell story. He probably can’t outrun a turtle, but he still went 1st to 3rd on a single by JD (I guess he earned his name back with that ALCS Game 6 slam), which set up the game-tying sac fly by Tek. Then in the 5th, he hit a 2-out double score Papi from second that was the difference in the game. It’s going to quickly get lost in this game, but what was really impressive about that 2nd run is the entire rally started with 2 outs. Papi walked, and Manny hit a single right under the 3rd basemen’s glove to set up Lowell’s double. That’s a killer to the Rockies.

After 21 games of showing that they know how to win every way possible, the Rockies are now learning that the Red Sox can do the same thing. Win big in game 1, win tight in game 2. As long as the Sox can also win at Coors, it’ll be a fun offseason.

Normally I don’t like to or get a chance to do a “diary blogging” event, but for the first game of the World Series, I’ll make an exception. So, here it goes:

8:30AM: OK, here we go. Right now should be around first pitch, but instead I’m sitting inside Dragon Air flight 831 from Shanghai to Hong Kong.

8:40AM: We were supposed to have taken off 10 minutes ago.

8:50AM: Captain has just told us that we’ll take off soon.

9:10AM: OK, we’re actually taking off now. All I can think is that this waste of 40 minutes means it’s 40 fewer minutes I can follow the game when I get to Hong Kong.

9:20AM: Pop in a Battlestar Galactica episode to watch.

10:10AM: Pop in another BSG episode.

11:00AM: Begin descent into Hong Kong.

11:15AM: OK, we’ve landed. I can’t turn on my phone fast enough to get an update from Kim. “Call Failed.” WHAT???? I retry about 10 times always getting the same error message. Shit.

11:30AM: Get off plane. Still can’t get through to Kim. I wonder what would happen if I change the cell phone provider on my phone…

11:45AM: Bingo! Call Kim. (Please be winning, please be winning, please…)

Me: Hey! Kim!

Kim: (Laughing) Guess who hit a bomb?

Me: Dustin?

Kim: Uh huh!

Me: That’s great, what’s the score???!?!?!

Kim: Oh, it’s 13-1.

12:00PM: Relax

I know it was disgraceful that I couldn’t watch the first game of the World Series. But it sounds like they managed to hold up without me. Dustin is kinda starting to make me wonder if he’s on the juice with two home runs in his last two games. While I worry instead that Lugo is stoned if he was able to get through an entire at bat with the bases loaded and not strike out. Beckett sounded masterful again.

Even though I couldn’t watch, the recap of the game kind of reminds me of the Sox home opener against the Mariners. If you recall, they had just been snowed out of four straight games against the Indians. Not only that, but they also had to face Beckett after a long layoff and the offense just destroyed their pitcher. Granted it was Jeff Weaver, but still pretty similar.

Tonight I’m back in the States and unless I fall asleep from the jet lag I’ll be glued to my TV. Bloody Sock veteran vs. rookie. Let’s go crafty vet.

As the resident baseball expert for Your Sports Nightcap, I decided to write up an analysis and prediction for the World Series. Here it is, and please remember I also picked the Angels in the ALDS and the Indians in the ALCS. I’m on a roll, baby!

I’d love to be doing this on-air, but due to my current location being closer to the domes in which Dasiuke Matsuzaka and Kaz Matsui first played professional ball than Fenway or Coors field I figure the blog is the best way to go. With that, here’s the breakdown Dr. Jack style:

Batting: Both of these teams can put up runs in the blink of an eye. And with the locations for this series being Fenway and Coors field, they probably will. The biggest difference in the two lineups is that the Rockies have their speed at the top while the Sox have theirs at the bottom. I think the difference will be if Pedroia and Youkilis continue to be hot while Matsui and Tavares (a combined .200 BA in the NLCS) stay cold. The big boys in the middle of the lineup are going to do their thing, so it’s a question of who sets the table for them. Edge: Red Sox

Pitching: Short of Josh Beckett, the Red Sox starting pitching was anything but stellar in the ALCS. While the Rockies have a very young, but well rounded staff with Francis, Jimenez, and Fogg starting the first three games. Game four is a coin flip with Aaron Cook having not pitched since August 10th vs the rookie Jon Lester. While it would make an amazing story to have Lester, one year removed from being diagnosed with cancer, get the win in a clinching game four, I don’t see it happening. I think the overall strength of the Rockies is more powerful that Josh Beckett twice in a seven game series. Plus, Eric Gagne continues to be on the Red Sox postseason roster to the confusion of everyone in New England. Edge: Rockies

Defense: This isn’t even a question. One team led the league in almost every defensive metric, while the other still has Julio Lugo at short and Manny Ramirez in left field. Edge: Rockies

Coaching: Clint Hurdle has done a terrific job with his team in the past few weeks. Hell, it’s kind of hard to fault any manager who has won 21 of his last 22 games. But he still hasn’t had to make a difficult decision in these playoffs. Remember, he was one lucky call at home plate away from not even making it to the NLDS. In the other dugout, Terry Francona has now proven that he knows exactly what buttons to push to keep the team lose and still perform at a very high caliber. Despite his not-so-brilliant move to start Wakefield in game four of the ALCS, he still got the job done. I give the edge to the manager whose proven he can work at this stage. Edge: Red Sox

Intangibles: Where’s Jeter when you need him? Right now the Rockies are on one of the most impressive winnings streaks in the history of baseball. 21-1 in their last 22 and 7-0 in the playoffs. But you’ve got to believe that having over a week off will hurt your team. Meanwhile the Red Sox should be riding high after overcoming their second 3-1 deficit in the ALCS in the past four years (the other was from 3-0). They still managed to have their pitching rotation set up for this series and they’re morale has got to be (ready for the pun?) a mile high. Edge: Red Sox

Parting thoughts: In my mind this series comes down to the first game. If Josh Beckett takes care of business and the Sox can hand the Rockies their first defeat of the postseason, the Sox will wear down the Rockies and win the series. If Beckett loses, everything turns in the Rockies favor.

Prediction: I picked them to go all the way before the playoffs started, so I can’t change now. Rockies