The End of the 2009 Regular Season

Today marks the end of the regular season for 2009. It’s hard to believe another year of spring training camps, opening days, early summer slumps, mid-season trades and late summer brawls has come and gone. I haven’t been the best at keeping my blog up to date or watching all the Red Sox games. Life has a funny way of interrupting regularly scheduled programming.

One recent interruption was my trip here:

This is the beautiful Bavaro Beach in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. I was on the beach during the series between the Red Sox and Yankees. Obviously, I didn’t miss much, but it was surprisingly easy to keep up with baseball while on vacation.

You see, the Dominican people are CRAZY about beisbol. I don’t speak very much Spanish, but I was amazed at how well I could converse with the locals about my favorite pasttime. We talked about all the Dominican players especially Manny Ramirez (they LOVE Manny down there), David Ortiz, Albert Pujols and Pedro Martinez. The word “loco” was used several times. I will let you guess which players it was used to describe.

I even ran into a few diehard Red Sox fans wearing their hats on the beach including a couple from Springfield, MA. The friends I was traveling with were from Columbus, Ohio — not a Sox fan in the group. They kept laughing at me and rolling their eyes for talking baseball with anyone who could speak a decent mix of English and Spanish or was willing to listen.

I even watched the game on Saturday afternoon on FOX Sports en Espanol. That was interesting. I knew Jon Lester had been hit on Friday night. I didn’t know how seriously he was hurt. When the Fox crew interviewed John Farrell, they dubbed it in Spanish. I was able to hear a little bit of Farrell’s comments in English and heard him say the x-rays were negative. Talk about a sigh of relief!

So I’m back from the Dominican Republic and here we are in October. Some call it “Soxtober.” It’s time to get pumped up for the postseason. Instead, I feel more like this:

Here’s why:

- Mike Lowell is definitely hurt and getting a cortisone shot in his hip. Not good.

- Tim Wakefield still can’t hobble his way on and off the mound. He’s scratched for the ALDS. Who knows when he’ll be able to pitch again.

- Clay Buchholz is giving up hits left and right. He needs to quit dating his Penthouse Pets and focus on his pitching. At least until after the postseason (please).

- Josh Beckett has back spasms. Great. Supposedly he’s feeling better, but I am highly doubtful.

- I’m not sure what to think about Manny del Carmen and Daniel Bard. ay yi yi.

- Jason Varitek’s bat is ice cold.

- J.D. Drew’s bat isn’t that much hotter although I saw the two home runs today. He is streaky. I hope he stays on the hot streak for a just a few more weeks.

I should be feeling like this:

Why?

We made the postseason, baby! That’s why!

(Even though we kind of backed into it…)

And:

- Dice-K is back and pitching well.

- Victor Martinez is supernova hot and getting some timely hits (that’s an understatement).

- Kevin Youkilis, Jacoby Ellsbury and Dustin Pedroia are also supernova hot at the plate.

- David Ortiz is hitting .306 over the last 30 days. Perfecto!

- Billy Wagner is a force to be reckoned with. He has a 1.72 ERA. Hello!

- Jed Lowrie is BACK. Loved that grand slam today – his first ever in the big leagues!

- Alex Gonzalez is doing a great job at short stop. We acquired him for his defensive skills but the man has managed to hit an impressive .284 since joining the Red Sox in August.

It ain’t over ’til it’s over. Oops. I should not be quoting a New York Yankee at a time like this. So let me re-phrase that.

It ain’t over ’til the Fat Lady sings.

It’s good to be back.