Moments In My Life

The family knows how big a Red Sox fan Gram and Gramp were Zeb did a great job of covering that. Thus in 2004 with Gram being sick and the Sox in the World Series and up 3-0 on St. Louis I had a thought. Wouldn't it be great to drive up to Detroit and watch what may be the clinching game of first Sox championship in 86 years? The answer was a resounding yes, the only problem as it was the middle of the week, Wednesday sticks in my mind for some reason, and I had to work the next day. What if the Sox lost game 4 would it mean as much? If they lost would it be worth dragging around work all day the next day? I made the only real choice I could, I drove the hour north. I stopped off at Mom and Dad's on the way and Dad figured he'd head up and watch the game at the farm too. So there we were, the four of us, watching the Sox trying to finally close the deal for the first time in all of our lives. The night went exactly how you think it would. Reserved, quiet comment on the game, Gram talking more than Gramp. I remember at one point the Sox got in trouble, a few runners on and only a small lead. Gram says what we were all thinking, "OH Here we go...". Of course we all know the Sox pull it out. Such a small thing for most people, sitting and watching a ball game with family, but this night was so much more yet, with typical Basford fashion, no one mentioned the significance of it. Maybe it was only that significant to me, but it was so much more to see that happen with Gram and Gramp. A moment I wouldn't trade for the world.

This seems to happen often with me when Gram and Gramp were around, ordinary moments gaining significance. Maybe they are more significant now that they have both passed. With Gramp they seemed to be centered around sports. When I was younger Dad played softball in Pittsfield and Gram and Gramp would always go watch the games. I'd always ride home with them because Gramp would take us out for ice cream at the Tasty Freeze. The ride was usually quiet because the Sox were on the radio. The only station the old car got as an AM station out of Boston, the reception stunk but you could make out the score now and then. When I was older, I think 87, Dad was trying to get the Pittsfield softball league going again. He tried to put together a team of me and my friends from high school mixed in with Dad and some others. We often found ourselves short of players. So Dad asked Gramp if he'd play. Of course he said yes, I can't imagine Gramp not taking the chance to play ball. He played first base, he wore the shoes that Zeb mentioned. I don't really remember anything else about that team. I don't remember any games we played, maybe we didn't play any, but I remember how cool I thought it was that I was playing softball on a real team with Dad and Gramp.

On the family blog I wrote a post about the family picnics and how softball was a big part of that. Here's a link: http://basfordroadblog.blogspot.com/

Anyone that knows me knows that candlepin bowling is more than a sport for me, it's more like a passion. I've been bowling since I was 5, I've bowled in a lot of leagues, a lot of tournaments and have had a lot of "moments" on the lanes. From being 11 years old and bowling in an "adult" league with Mom and Aunt S, to bowling with Dad in "Men's" league at the age of 16 or so, to winning state titles my senior year. I tell you all of these as a point of reference because one of the top one or two "cool moments" involved Gramp. It was an Elks tournament in Pittsfield, that year I think we had like 6 teams from the Pittsfield lodge. As it happened that year was the only year that Dad and I weren't on the same team. Gramp was asked to bowl to fill out the 6th team. I'm still not sure how it happened to be but I looked to my left and Dad was bowling on the lane next to me and on the next lane over there was Gramp. 3 generations of Basfords all bowling at the same time. I wasn't the only one to notice it, several people mentioned it to me that day and they all thought how cool it was.

Jen told me, after reading the post on the Basford Road blog, that she knew I had a great childhood. I know I did and sports were a central part of my childhood experiences. The fact that I have so many great moments that involve Gramp speaks to the influence he had in my life. The fact that they mean so much speaks to the respect that I have for him.

Where I got my love of the game (Vol 1)

Why do I love baseball and the Red Sox so much? It was my grandfather's love of the game rubbing off on me and many others in the family. Many of my fondest memories regarding baseball involve him, from softball leagues to watching the Sox together to him playing in those shoes.
I know Great Grampy Basford (Stanley Sr) was a baseball fan but I believe I'm safe in saying Stanley Jr was the bigger fan and the reason this family today is littered with diehard Red Sox fans. It never failed when I visited Gram and Gramp as a child and then when I returned home from the service that, if there was a Sox game on TV, they'd be watching it, with the sound muted and the radio play-by-play on, or they'd be listening to the game on the radio if it wasn't televised.
What a memory he had for the stats and history of the Sox and Major League Baseball in general (something I inherited but lost somewhere in middle age). I remember going up to the farm and checking over the box scores with him. You could watch a game with him and he'd tell you the strategies that were being deployed; he'd tell you what he thought of trades with great support and wisdom; he'd tell you that such and such a player reminded him of someone from the past. He kept reference books around on the game and would often refer to them. I learned much about the strategy and history of the game from him (yes, from you too, Wayne, Bruce and Mom!), as well as the right and wrong way to play the game. I can remember many times having a sore hand playing toss with him, more often than not him without a glove, just catching with those catcher's mits he called hands.
He loved to play the game and did at an age much older than I am now, bad knees and all. When I was too old for Babe Ruth, there were no American Legion teams in the area to play on. So he helped put together a team for he and I to play on in that raggamuffin softball league of the late '70's in Pittsfield. The list of names of the players on that team would make you laugh. Suffice to say me at 17-18 and him almost 60 were the 2 best players, at least of those sober, on that team, sponsored by Bantam Bro's. Of course Gram came to the games and then we'd go get an ice cream afterwards. (Which makes me think of something. Remind me to tell about catching "the breakfast express" to school when I missed the bus)
No baseball fan more deserved to see his team finally win the World Series than he, and I'm so thankful he got to see that. He and Gram, along with Bruce, took me to my very first game at Fenway Park. I don't remember much about that now as I was about 9 years old (did we determine that was 1970 or '71? and who were they playing?), but I certainly recall how excited I was to be going and how much it meant to me that they wanted to take me. I was able to return the favor in a small way many years later. In Sept of 1987 when he and Gram visited us (and Uncle Hershel) while we were living near San Diego, I took them to a Padre game at Jack Murphy Stadium, a game in which the SF Giants clinched the Division Title. That's one of my favorite ticket stubs in my collection.
So now you know where I got most of my love of the game, but can someone older than I tell me whether he always wore those semi-dress shoes when he played even before my time?

Big Market/Small Market perspective

The Mrs. sat down the other night just as Jim Rome (who I don't usually pay attention to) was ranting about how the Brewers should've signed Prince Fielder to a big, long-term contract instead of holding him to his rookie deal. She was asking what that was about. So I explained it to her, saying I essentially agreed with Rome that they should've signed him because they'll lose him...the flip side being they're a small market team without endless resources and a contract is a contract. But that guy is/will be the face of the franchise and will put fannies in the seats. In the Fielder/Brewer situation I see Fielder having more of the leverage. Money and a long-term contract is all they have to keep him there.

Conversely last night I hear news of Jonathan Papelbon starting to squawk about his contract with the Red Sox. Help me out here but isn't he in the same situation as Fielder? Funny how I sort of looked at it differently though. Maybe it's because he's a pitcher, especially a closer, so proving yourself over 2 seasons doesn't always mean what it does with a position player. So the Sox might bump his salary up a few thousand K but won't give him a big deal until next year, which I agree with..."underpay" for these guys while you can because you're going to overpay after that.

Maybe it's because the Sox are in a different situation than Milwaukee that I view these instances differently. Milwaukee can't afford to be cheap with Fielder. The Sox have the leverage of a winner in a rabid baseball town that Milwaukee doesn't have going for it.

Spring Training Starts Tomorrow....

So with pitchers and catchers reporting tomorrow it's time to knock the dust off and power this thing up.

The sox are looking strong, even with Schilling possibly out for the year. From what I understand there is a chance he'll be ready by the all star break, but I'll believe that when it happens. So we'll most likely have Tavarez as the number 5 guy and he pitched well enough last year in that role that I'm not nervous at all. So we have Beckett, Dice-K, Wakefield, Lester and Tavarez to break camp with and Bucholtz waiting in the wings with Schilling hopefully coming back mid year. Not a bad rotation over all.

The pen is looking strong too with many of the good performers returning. Okijima, Delcarmen, Schnyder, Timlin are returning and of course Papelbon is the anchor. With those guys pulling most of the weight guys like Lopez and Pauley can play their roles and contribute when they can. The big question mark for me in the pen is Craig Hansen. Will this be the year he breaks out and lives up to his potential. It seems he has surgery in the off season to correct a sleep apnea problem that could have been effecting his performance and preparation. We'll see. If comes to life that gives us three very lively arms in the pen.

Then there's the starting 8. Everyone is back. The only real question, and maybe it's not a big deal, is when does Ellsbury take over in center? Do they put out there right out of the chute like they did Pedroia or do they work him in giving Crisp more at bats early in an attempt to bolster his value for a trade at the dead line? I know my fellow bloggers here have no hope that Drew will perform better than last year, but I hope he does. I think he can be very successful if he gets away from trying to pull the ball all the time and takes it back up the middle more. He did that in the playoffs and hit much better. The only changes where that Sean Casey replaced Hinske as the guy to spell Youkilis at first. I see this as an improvement. Casey's bat is better than Hinske's and the defense is a wash.

The chances of the Sox winning the east this year is much better than last year. I think the Yankees have many more questions this year than last. If they young guys pitch better than last year and stay healthy they'll make it interesting, but I still think we have the edge.

Konichiwa!

Alright you no-writin' bastards, it's time to resuscitate the forum - Daisuke is signed, sealed, and delivered and the rotation is now looking somewhat more than sturdy for '07. Notwithstanding the mega-scratch involved between the posting fee and the subsequent contract (rather light considering the Meche and Lilly contracts), I think it's a great move. If he has half the form that's being reported, this dude is going to be a formidable presence in the arsenal. Although the jury is still out with respect to Drew and Lugo, the Sox are clearly pulling out all the stops this year. I think that the fact that Schilling and Wake are getting a bit long in the tooth is playing into the emphasis on this year but it seems like the team's folding at the end of last year has just as much to do with all of this. If they can find a halfway decent closer (which seems to be the ceiling of what's potentially available), they are going to be a force to be reckoned with on both sides of the foul lines. There are still some question marks, of course, but with this 3-4-5 lineup and predominantly young hurling staff, the sky's the limit. It's too early to tell what the reaction will be from NY and Toronto, but I suspect that their britches were slightly soiled with today's developments.
So what are your thoughts at this early juncture?

Baseball kicks ass!

Not being especially interested in the NLCS series, the Megster and I basically surfed all night only keeping an infrequent eye on Game 7. I felt that the Mets' choice of starting Perez - statistically the worst pitcher ever to pitch in such a series, let alone the vital game 7 - more or less sealed the deal for the Cards. Well. In the 6th after pitching a 4 hitter yielding a 1-1 tie against Jeff Suppan, Perez walked Edmonds (his first BB of the night) with 1-out. Willie Randolph came out - ostensibly to yank the cord - when he inexplicably decided to stick with his starter. The very next pitch, Scott Rolen drove a deep shot to left when some guy i've never heard of (Endy Chavez?!) leaped and stole a certain 2-run homer, having the werewithall to throw it back to first to double up Edmonds for the inning-ending out. In a matter of seconds, the game see-sawed from one side to the other. I guess that's why I love the game... you can never predict the amazing shit that you might see at any given moment amidst the routine.
I am recording the rest of the game to watch from that point when I get off the computer. Who knows what will happen, but if the Mets win - thus going to the World Series - this play will have massive ramifications. Pretty cool!

3 beers for the Tigers!!!

Thank you, Detroit Tigers, for beating the Yankees in the playoffs and making the sportsworld right again! I really thought the way those 2 teams played down the stretch that that was the worst matchup if you wanted the Yanks to lose. I wanted them to have to face the Twins pitching in the first round and then the winner of Detroit and Oakland in the second round. But when the Twins took the Division on the last day of the season, I was not at all optimistic the Tigers could get it done, especially after they looked overmatched in game one. I love it when I'm wrong. Congrats Coach Dave!

The Bruins looked pathetic, losing 8-3, in their opener but managed to beat Tampa last night. So maybe they won't be totally awful. They're young and lack depth of talent though.

The Dolphins played up to their potential and gave the Patriots a tough game today (kinda knew they would) but the Pats got it done and are now 4 and 1. I see improvement in the WR's but I'm not sure they have enough...defense needs some depth too.

Year in review, year in preview (open thread)

Even though our youngsters didn't all turn out to have as good a season as some hoped, I think we're on the right track. Here's to hoping a full recovery for John Lester. I also don't think Hanson sucks as bad as he has. I'm not sure what's with Beckett but I still like the trade. I would like to see more depth of position players with a future but I'm willing to be patient.
It will be an interesting off-season. I expect Theo will stay the course (he he) but I also expect at least one big splash trade.
Congrats to the Portland SeaDogs on winning the Eastern League championship. No surprise they did it the year I didn't get to a game. LOL Your opinion as to who on this team has a bright Sox future?
Open thread means help me out since I don't have enough for a full post!

littlecuz-

I don't see this year as a total bust, there were some bright spots. Papelbon and Big Papi being the obvious. The one suprise I think we may see next year is Julian Tavarez as the 5th starter in the rotation. He seems to be renewed in the starter role and since he has one year left on his contract I won't be suprised to see the Sox start him in spring training next year and test the waters. The thing to watch in the off season is whether the Sox pick up a closer. Papelbon has expressed interest in becoming a starter, but that won't happen unless a new closer emerges. Quite frankly I don't Hansen is ready at this point, so unless a miracle occures over the winter he won't be the closer. This means the Sox will have to look outside the organization for a closer. It seems that we will have another new short stop again next year, even though Gonzalez played a gold glove caliber short and hit above expectations, I'd love to see him come back, but the rumor mill has him leaving for free agency. This theory is gaining momentum with Padroia getting some playing time at short now.

Of course the speculation that Trott is heading out of town after the season will sicken the southern cousin, especially if he stays in the American League East. I'm thinking that the O's would be a good fit for him, they seem to be looser with the purse strings lately. Of course I hope Trott can stay, but I see the negotiation going much like Pedro and Damon. The Sox will put a figure down, and if he wants to stay he'll take it, other wise thanks for the hard work and good luck. I think this is especially true with Willy Mo Pena in the mix.

That's my two cents.....

The Trade open thread

So now almost a full year after the trade of Hanley Ramirez and Anibal Sanchez for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell, and the day after Sanchez' no-hitter, do you or do you not want a do-over?

Ramirez has been better than I thought he'd be, especially this year. One no-hitter in half a season as a starter looks impressive but doesn't a career make.
Lowell has been much better than we could have hoped he'd be, and Beckett has been a disappointment compared to his past and expectations.

My vote: If Lowell's gone after this year and Beckett remains inconsistent, I want a do-over and take my chances with the still largely unproven youngsters; but who's to say that next year and beyond Beckett doesn't return to his old form or, better yet, lives up to his promise and the kids don't fully pan out.

Another weekend, another sweep.

We could talk about the injuries real or otherwise, the poor play - offensively and defensively - around decent starting pitching, the hamstrung management... but what's the point? We can't even take a game from the frigging Mariners.
At least the Pats looked good.