The 3rd "Every 14 Game" MVP Award...The Winner Is.....

Our first "Every 14 game Award For Excellence," above and beyond the call of duty went to Kevin Youklis, who continues to amaze us. As does the second winner of this quirky but from my heart award, Mike Lowell. Now it's time for THE 3rd "EVERY 14 GAME AWARD" to be announced. And the winner is...Jonathon Papelbon. He also continues to amaze not just us Red Sox lovers, but baseball fans the world over. Congrats Jonathon.
I wrote the following post in early April, right before Terry Francona yanked away, with good reason, the closer's role from Keith Foulke and gave it to Paps. A better move? Not in my memory. Here is what I wrote, in early April, when the closer was STILL Foulkie.
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Jonathon Papelbon toes the mound, peering in to see Tek's sign. Outside fastball. He nods, starts his windup, and paints the outside black of the plate for a called third strike. The top of the ninth inning is over, the Sox win 2-1, and Papel secures his 20th save. It was not easy. Josh Beckett went the first seven, allowing a third inning solo shot to right. The Sox answered in the bottom half of the inning, with a sharp double to the gap in right by Big Papi, and a first pitch home run to dead center, his 18th, by Manny Ramirez. And that was all the scoring for Texas and Boston on this sunny humid Sunday June 11th. The Rangers were defeated in this 64th game of the season at Fenway Park. Tavarez pitched a 1-2-3 8th, setting the stage for Papel's 14th straight save. The crowd went home hot, dazed, but happy. The Sox were in first, with a record of 39-25, 5 games in front of the Yankees and Blue Jays.
Now this, of course, is just a little slice of my imagination. But it is a scenario that could come true if Keith Foulke's fastball does not regain it's pre-2005 zip, making his off speed stuff wicked once more.

****Peter here, back in present day June of 2006. If only I could be so good at picking lottery numbers! Wakes tonight with plenty of flutternutter deliveries to go around. Enjoy your weekend, and thank you SO much for reading. I mean that.