I felt similarly in 2002, my first year at Amherst, when the underdog New England Patriots upset the mighty St. Louis Rams to win Super Bowl XXXVI, but it wasn't the same. Boston will never be a football city the way it is a baseball city. That's what made the Red Sox win so exciting and incredible.
And you know what else made the Red Sox win so exciting and incredible? I predicted it! Not just in passing as a joke to my friends or in a baseball preview article, but in writing throughout the whole season. In 20 years I'll be able to show my kids that I kept the faith throughout the greatest championship run in sports history.
By now, a week after the fact, you're probably sick of reading articles about the Red Sox. To you I say sorry. This is just too good to ignore.
So now looking back, what about this Red Sox team was different than all the others? Let's break it down into a few key points.
1. Pitching: Although the Red Sox postseason pitching was great in 2003, it reached unchartered territory this season. Words cannot describe the clutch performances of Curt Schilling, Pedro Martinez, Keith Foulke and especially Derek Lowe this postseason. Lowe in particular deserves a giant "thank you" from Red Sox Nation. The odd man out in the postseason rotation, Lowe saved the Red Sox' asses three times. He single-handedly saved the day against the Angels in extra innings, shut down the Yankees twice on the brink of elimination, and dominated the Cardinals in the deciding game four. While Schilling has received the most attention, Lowe and Foulke deserve the most credit. Foulke closed all four games of the World Series and appeared in 11 of the Sox 14 postseason contests. In 22 days, Foulke pitched 14 innings, allowing only seven hits and one insignificant run while striking out 19. He was superhuman at worst.
2. Clutch offense: This mainly refers to David Ortiz because he was the one who provided three game-winning hits, but how can you ignore Manny Ramirez' 21 hits and .350 average, Mark Bellhorn's 15 walks, Orlando Cabrera's 11 RBIs or Johnny Damon's 13 runs? Every member of the Sox contributed offensively in every series. Everyone provided clutch hits, clutch walks, clutch stolen bases. When they needed a hit, the Sox got it. The same cannot be said of the three teams they defeated.
3. Front Office: The new ownership and leadership of the Red Sox made a commitment to winning last season and stuck with it. It remains to be seen what will happen with next season's roster, but John Henry, Larry Lucchino and Theo Epstein clearly carefully crafted this year's team. From David Ortiz to Mark Bellhorn to Bronson Arroyo, this team was chosen and built with a purpose. They were not the most glorified group of superstars, but they were guys who could do what they were signed to do. Bellhorn is the poster child for front office genius. The guy hit only .264, the lowest of any starter, but possessed a robust .373 on-base percentage, one of eight Red Sox starters with an OBP of at least .365. The front office knew exactly what kind of players they had already and knew exactly what type of players they wanted to add to the team.
Now that it's over, what's next? Once the partying is over and the hangover has subsided, Theo and company will need to get down to business and do some negotiating. The Sox have 17 free agents, more than any other team in the league. If I'm Theo, I throw everything and the kitchen sink at Jason Varitek. He is the heart and soul of the clubhouse and is a must-sign, regardless of Scott Boras' asking price. The second priority should be signing a shortstop. It would be great to see Orlando Cabrera in the red and white next season, but if his price tag is too steep, a short-term replacement (Omar Vizquel, Barry Larkin) would suffice until one of the Sox' many shortstop prospects is ready to contribute. The outfield is pretty well set with Damon, Ramirez and Nixon, and with Millar possibly spelling Nixon against left-handed batters.
The pitching staff situation is a little shaky. Schilling, Wakefield and Arroyo will be around next season as starters for sure. Foulke will still anchor the bullpen with Alan Embree and Mike Timlin, but the rest of the bullpen is up in the air. Theo's first priority for pitching must be to sign a number-two starter, whether it be re-signing Pedro or wooing homegrown talent Carl Pavano or former Minnesota Twins ace Brad Radke. Knowing Theo, a washed-up journeyman starter for cheap money will be ideal to take a chance on in the fifth spot.
The Sox have a lot of question marks this offseason. No more or less than in previous years, but after coming off a World Series Championship, the pressure will probably be higher than normal (if that's even imaginable).