Beckett Plus Base Hits Plus Opening Day At Fenway....What A Beautiful Thing!

7 innings, 2 base hits. 1 run, earned. Final score 14-3 Red Sox. A great job by Josh Beckett at a Fenway Park filled with memories of the team from 40 years ago, overacheivers in a championship way, and a day filled with the hopes and dreams of the Red Sox team of today, of 2007, and ITS future hopes and dreams. Josh Beckett was Josh Baseball....using all of his pitches with all of the angles possible for every pitch. He was fun to watch, unpredictable to the Mariners' batters. And that is the key to his success. The key to every pitcher at any level of baseball as we know it....having the ability to fool that other guy, the one standing at the plate who's trying to guess your every move, your every delivery, your every pitch. Yesterday, Josh Beckett was ON. The master of deception on this cool early spring day of victory showed his stuff. And we smiled!
It was great to see the guys of 1967. I miss Tony C. I'm so happy his brothers were there, standing as one. It was great to see Captain Carl, half-uniformed or not. And where was Lonnie? Drilling a tooth, most likely.
But then, after a stirring rendition of "The Impossible Dream" sung by the ever suave Robert Goulet, and an inspiring "Play Ball" voiced by the much loved Johnny Pesky, who was momentarily overcome with grief shortly before those words, it was time for baseball 2007 Fenway style.
JD Drew showed his pleasure of playing at Fenway for the first time in the home uniform with a one-handed (it sure seemed so) home run swing...Youk responded with 3 hits, and Captain Tek, seemingly swinging the bat better and better every game, tallied 3 base hits. Right now, I think things are jelling, even the bullpen. In relief of MVP (of this game) Josh Beckett, there was Brendan Donnelly, who resumed his feud with Jose Guillen. Maybe I should rephrase that....Mr. Guillen resumed HIS feud with our Brendan, by promptly striking out. Donnelly did not try to hit him. Not even close. Long story short, the benches emptied and a "no holds-no touches" typical baseball staredown ensued. And then, the rout resumed. Darkman came in and cooled the temperature, and he did it quickly. And then Mike Timlin entered for his initial 2007 appearance. And he looked it. But the lead had ballooned to 11 by then, so it was a great time to let him blunder through a 24 pitch inning. A good real-time real-game workout. We need you Mike, for eighth inning wonders.
Opening Day 2007? I liked it. Tonight.....Daisuke Matsuzaka versus the best (so far.....one brilliant start) Seattle Mariner pitcher. His last name is Hernandez. Pencil his last name in as the losing pitcher for April 11th, 2007. I hope our Daisuke, in his second of so many future Red Sox starts, baffles and confuses his oponents yet again. Tonight....in front of 36,000 plus Red Sox fans in America....Daisuke fans through and through. And the fans in his native Japan, where the game will be televised starting at 8am, will be watching too......so many!

Please, never forget. And me? Me? That guy from Connecticut named Peter (my real name?!)? Who cares? But I'm with you. Watching, cheering, and loving that team called the Boston Red Sox. I can't stop now! And I never will.

Tonight, we'll stand up. We'll cheer. And we'll pour our hearts out with love. I'm ready! Are you? FAITH forever. Thanks for reading, and when you click on the title of this post, up will appear the Hartford Courant columnist Jeff Jacobs' thoughts on opening day. I know you'll love his writing. So everyone, enjoy this hump day Wednesday, and a night reserved for Daisuke, and our Sox. And a victory. How sweet could it get? Just wait! I promise.