Things To Be Thankful For
Things To Be Thankful For
There's probably a few if we think hard enough
In the face of hardships innumerable, it is difficult to find the strength for gratefulness. In other words, when life sucks, it’s much easier to dwell on that fact rather than that it’s good to be alive at all. It is in that spirit that we leave 2020 behind, slamming the door as we go, with maybe a few elbow jabs on the way out. The world has been hard on everyone and everything in 2020 and I won’t miss it a bit.
This is where I awkwardly transition to baseball, a non-essential item in a year spent focusing on the most essential of the essential. And yet, this is a baseball newsletter, so I’ll politely beg your pardon while I move on with this. Baseball was altered by the pandemic in 2020 and I suspect will be again, perhaps in more subtle ways if we’re lucky, in 2021, but we did get some baseball. For Red Sox fans, well, we did get some baseball.
The 2020 Red Sox as a team, as an organization, as an earthbound entity that shares our space and oxygen, were extremely of the moment. Basically, they were crap in a crap year. But in the spirit of gratefulness that abounds at New Years, I wanted to write about the positive, the good, the worthwhile. So this is what the Red Sox and really, we Red Sox fans, have to be thankful for.
In no particular order, I humbly offer the following:
Xander Bogaerts
This is Xander’s team. It’s almost by default now with Mookie in LA, Chris Sale on the I.L., and Andrew Benintendi not himself, but it’s as true now as it can be. As much as things have turned sour since 2018 (I’m trying here, folks, I swear!) the Red Sox still have Xander Bogaerts and that is a truly good thing. It’s hard to complain about a homegrown multiple-time All Star and MVP-vote-getter who signed a long-term deal to remain in Boston (we’re going to ignore his opt-out in two years, thank you very much and quickly continue to the rest of this sentence). I mean, yes, we are Red Sox fans, so we can absolutely find things to complain about, but Bogaerts would be a challenge. He’s hardworking, telegenic, and oh yeah, he’s actually really good. In fact, he kinda seems to be getting better. He hits for power, he hits for average, and he gets on base, all at above average levels, and he does it while playing shortstop with an infectious smile. This is top level stuff, right here. If you were to start a team and get to design a star to play on that team, it would be Xander.
Rafael Devers
Speaking of infectious smiles, there’s just about nobody I’d rather have show up at my kid’s birthday party than Rafael Devers. You know he’d be carrying like 20 balloons, a huge present, and he’d probably be wearing a bear costume or something like that, and you’d see his smile coming from blocks away. There’s something so fun about Devers, perhaps the most fun player the Red Sox have had since Manny Ramirez. Maybe Koji. Either way, Devers’ personality shines through in all that he does, whether it’s crushing a ridiculous homer off of Aroldis Chapman, or smashing an insane homer off of Aroldis Chapman, or destroying an Aroldis Chapman fastball for a nuts-o homer off of Aroldis Chapman, I… uh… oh boy where am I?
Bogaerts is in the prime of his career right now and we get to enjoy it, but with Devers not only is he really good but he can clearly get much better. Best of all, we’re going to get to watch him do all the great stuff he’s destined for, in Boston, for hopefully the next 10 years or longer. I can’t wait.
2004
No 2004 did not happen in 2020 but considering the number of times I went back and rewatched the highlights it may as well have. And here’s the thing: no matter what hijinks the Red Sox pull in the here and now, no silliness by the front office, no awfulness from ownership, no ill-considered trades, inexplicable press conferences or whatever nuttiness you can conjure, nobody and nothing can take 2004 away.
One quick story: I was dating my then-girlfriend-now-wife in October of 2004. She lived in West Philadelphia (not born and raised, sorry) and I lived in Old City, a different neighborhood in the city about 40 blocks east. When the Red Sox lost Game 3, I rollerbladed (I know I know) all 40 blocks to her apartment at full sprint. Shirtless. At about 1 AM. Why? Because the Red Sox had just blown it and they were never going to beat the Yankees and there was nothing anyone could do and we all just had to live with it forever. I have no idea why she married me.
Fenway Park
We’ll probably get into this at some point, but I love Fenway Park. Absolutely adore it. I know it’s small and the seats are cramped and the beers come with financing. I know. But it’s just so beautiful. So beautiful, and so historic! There’s something special about having the oldest park in the majors, about playing on the same space Babe Ruth played on, the same field Ted Williams played on, the same one Yaz and Rice and Clemens and Big Papi every other baseball great who set foot there played on. The place is thick with ghosts, my friends, and there’s no other place like it in the world. And it’s ours. It’s truly unique, and one of the things that makes the Red Sox a special team.
The Future
Who can say what the future will bring? Standing in my basement, jumping up and down celebrating the 2018 World Series championship, though not too high so I don’t bang my head into the ceiling, I would never have predicted anything about the 2020 season. It was a 2x4 to the side of the head, an anvil to the toes, a fastball to the throat, an iron to the knuckles. I can’t make any promises about the 2021 season because, well, who the heck am I? But I can tell you what I think, and I think I’m optimistic things will get better. I’m optimistic 2021 will be a fun season with fun storylines to follow, fun faces in the dugout, and some worthwhile talent bubbling up from the minors. I’m optimistic the Red Sox will make some moves to put a competitive team on the field, and I’m optimistic that, if things break right, the playoffs aren’t out of the question.
I’m excited for the season in a way I wouldn’t have thought I’d be given everything 2020 has done. I think part of that is this newsletter, and, if I’m going to be frank, you. Writing for myself is great, but there’s nothing like writing for an audience, and it’s even better when you are sharing an experience together. I’m looking forward to sharing the 2021 Red Sox season with you.
Sox Outsider will be back in a few days with more of whatever this is, so until then, be well, be safe, and be joyful. 2021 is almost here, and that’s not a bad thing. And as someone who lived through 2020, I’m an expert on bad things. I wish you and everyone you care about a Happy New Year. Thanks for reading, thanks for subscribing, and thanks for caring.
Happy New Year!