Red Sox - Game 7 Loss

As I've said in my last post, I am not a big fan of baseball. Boy, was I wrong - ever. Over the past couple of weeks, my brother - a Red Sox fan (who rooted for the hometown team all the way) - got me hooked. He explained to me about how the game is played, the curse of the Bambino and other Red Sox tidbits.

My mistake: Not only did I get hooked to baseball, but quite suddenly, unexpectedly, I've fallen in love with the Boston team. I caught all of the post-season games this year and boy was I thrilled and proud of the way the sox played against the Oakland A's. I thought game 3, 4, and 5 - the elimination games the sox faced when they were down 2-0 in the best of 5 series - were classics. Nail-biting games that kept me at the edge of your seat (literally).

After the Sox came back and beat the Yankees in Game 6, I thought that Red Sox had a great shot at winning the AL pennant and finally making it to the World Series. Game 7 started out great. Pedro did wonderfully for the Sox. Admittedly, while the Sox were leading 5-2 at the end of the 7th inning, I was nervous. I was a little surprised when Pedro came out to the mound for the 8th inning. I would like Pedro to pitch since he has done so well, but I would have pulled him out at the first sign of trouble - the first hit in the eighth!!! Not the first COUPLE of hits which eventually doomed the sox!)

I told my brother at the end of the 7th inning that I hope the Sox get more hits, just because I don't want them to have a replay of the Cubs-Marlins series (in the 8th inning) when everything went south. Despite that nagging, I have high HOPE that this is it - this is THE year that the Sox is going to make it to the World Series. They are just 5 outs away.

And BAM. 1 run - 2 run - 3 run by the Yankees to tie the game. Grady Little then took Pedro out. Man! The rest is history. The lost came to Aaron Boone (who pretty much sucked in the postseason) in the 11th inning. The loss was painful, especially when the Sox was within grasp of winning.

If you told me a couple of weeks ago that I'd be affected by a Sox loss, I wouldn't have believed it. But I have learned - like generations before me - who are heartbroken by the Red Sox. Disappointed. It hurts. And I am only a relatively new fan who has fallen a little too deeply for the Sox. It's hard to fathom what others who have waited decades must have felt...

Blame, of course, is placed on Grady Little for not being a good manager and pulling out Pedro when everyone clearly saw that Pedro is worn out from 100+ pitches.

Nonetheless, having said all these, I still love the Red Sox. I love the players on the team. They are great. I tip my head to the bull-pen for its superb work in the postseason. For Game 7, the Red Sox IS the better team. The Sox had the lead throughout the game, until the homer in the 11th inning. Congrats to the Yanks, but I think they only lucked out big time this year. Only because of a manager's mistake.

Still, the Sox is going to be back next year. This team is great and if it keeps playing like it did, I believe that the Sox could make it again next year. Forget the freakin' curse. They can come back next season even stronger. Even better. Call it optimism. Call it whatever. The downside is that the next season feels too long away.

It's true, though. It's really better to have loved and lost then to never have loved at all. It would definitely be sweeter if we had won, but I credit the Sox players for their efforts and heart they put into these games. They have lost the game but they have battled hard, and for that, they have gained (at least) another die-hard Red Sox fan along the way.

Posted 11:51 AM by hiu k.