Another Sox Laugher

Boy! If the Sox had played all season the way they've played the last week and change, we'd be thinking World Series again!  For the second consecutive night, the Sox delighted Fenway fans and Red Sox Nation at large with a laugher win over the Rays.  They scored the same number of runs tonight as last, but only allowed a single run tonight for the Rays.  Piling up 16 hits, five for extra bases, and two of those settling into the cheaps, the Sox settled this one early. Opening with a single 1st inning run that was quickly tied by the Rays, the Sox quickly tacked on a pair in the 2d and four in the 3d to break it open, and then went on from there.
Five players had at least a pair of hits, with Betts getting three and Vasquez going 4/4, including his first MLB shot. Of the other Sox multi-hit players, Yo had a pair, and picked up his 97th ribbie. He still has a chance at a century as the Hose have three games remaining, all against the Evil Empire (and more on that series later).
The pitching looked just as good. Starter Webster pitched his best game since coming up to the club, going seven innings and allowing just seven hits and a lone freebie, his game WHIP a very respectable 1.143. He finishes the year at 5-3.  The guys from the pen looked as good as they have at any time this year, with Wilson tossing a one hit shutout inning that included a pair of K's and Koji showing his form of early season and all last season, going a perfect 9th that included a K. Wilson's ERA now sits at a minuscule 1.98, while Koji's is a very respectable 2.52.
Tonight's win is the Sox' fourth in the last six games, with the others coming against the Rays (last night) and a pair against the Division champ O's last week. Before that, they split a series with playoff bound KC.
Looking from the end of this season to 2015, the Sox have gotten a solid look at some of the best that the Pawsox have, and it appears that a number of these guys will be in the Fens for good come next year. Vazquez has proven to be all of a defensive catcher that he was expected to be, even throwing out opposing baserunners like he's been doing it for years. His hitting is a bit on the weak side, but even there he has had his timely moments. Wilson could be a regular in the rotation, and Holt, once he's recovered from his concussion, has shown that he can play anywhere and do it at a consistently high level, both at the dish and in the field. Bogaerts is starting to show signs that the real guy was the one who burst on the scene late last year, and could very well return to those levels in 2015. There re others as well. Of the vets, Pedey will be up and raring to go after his recent surgery, and Papi should be right in place to pick up where he left off after this year's 30-100 year. Nap also should be in good shape to continue from this season. As for Y, I'm still debating. I never thought much of his hitting hen he played in Oakland, but with that wall in left and his power, he could truly blossom. Defensively, his arm is like a howitzer. You advance on his throw totally at your own risk.
Three games to go and then it's over--where has the year gone?

Which brings us to the final series of 2014 against the Stripes.  It's rare that we get here and not just one, but both teams are eliminated from the post season, but here in 2014 that's the case.  Will that make it any less intense? Hell, NO! It's the Red Sox vs the Yankees. And with that in mind and then some, I'm going to do something that I almost never, and I mean NEVER, do here. I'm going to praise a Yankee.  As everyone anywhere in the world probably knows by now, the Yankees shortstop, The Captain, Derek Jeter is retiring.  He played his final home game at Yankee Stadium tonight, fittingly getting a walk-off hit to win it for his team.  Bob Costas, discussing it after the game, compared it to another final game by another Hall of Famer--our own Teddy Ballgame. On what became his final at bat of his career, TW drove a ball deep into the cheaps for his 521st HR and last hit, disappeared into the dugout and, true to form, refused to come out to tip his hat to the cheering fans. He'd played; he'd done his thing; and now it was time to go.
Jeter, likewise finished his Yankee Stadium career tonight. He played; he did his thing and left, as he usually did, more often than not a winner, left the field never to be seen as a player in the Bronx again.  He did come out to accept the fans' cheers.  Now, the fact that he's a sure bet first ballot Hall of Famer and is sixth on the all time career hits list and is oh, so many things that I couldn't even begin to mention them is not the reason I want to recognize him here. No, the simple reason is he is the ultimate definition of the word 'class'.  Yes, he's the enemy; yes, I hated it every time he came up and broke the Sox hearts.  But he not only played the game--he respected it and all of its long standing traditions.  Even his comments tonight after the game reflected that class. Asked how he felt about closing out his career in Fenway, and if he'd play there, his response was simple. He'd played his final game ever as the Yankees shortstop. That distinction he wanted leave where it began--in Yankee Stadium.  But he'd definitely play the three in Fenway out of respect, as he put it, for the rivalry and the Red Sox fans, who are wonderful and deserve nothing less.
He is a great player, but more important, he's a true gentleman and totally class. I'll miss him.