An email message promoted from my email archives to my blog on the last day the 2004 Red Sox were world champions (10/26/05).
Date: Fri, 17 Oct 2003 09:15:02 -0400 To: Joe [deleted] From: "Erik J. Heels" [deleted] Subject: Re: Pitchers And Catchers Are Back To Work! Greetings, It seems that hope springs eternal in Red Sox Nation. At 10:37 PM 2/15/2003, you wrote: >Spring is almost here! And so, after last night's epic 12-inning loss to the Yankees in game seven of the NLCS, another generation of Red Sox fans, players, and owners gets to experience what it means to be a Red Sox fan. The Sox began and ended the playoffs in the same fashion - with losses in the 12th. I feel the worst for Sam, who is now 9, the age that I was in 1975. I find it interesting that 29-year-old Sox GM Theo Epstein is not old enough to remember 1975 or 1978. But I also feel that this ownership group has what it takes to make the corrections needed to actually win it all. Say what you will about Grady's decision not to pull Pedro in the 8th inning, but the simple truth is that the Yankees outplayed the Red Sox in the regular season, the playoffs, and game 7. I also find it ironic that both the Cubs and the Sox were 5 outs away from the World Series. I agree with Gordon Edes (http://www.boston.com/sports/baseball/redsox/articles/2003/10/17/martinez_takes_the_ball____and_the_blame/) that Pedro deserves the blame. Why can't he win in the postseason? Why can't he finish games? Why can't he get himself out of jams he gets himself into? You could argue that Pedro single-handedly cost the Sox the season, with his antics in game 3 and his failure in game 7 to finish the job. In any event, I am not going to wallow in this latest collapse. I am also never going to read Dan the-king-of-negativity Shaughnessy ever again. From most to least crushing losses, I'd put 2003 a distance fourth behind 1986 (worst), 1978, and 1975. So now I am curious to see what the owners and the GM do in the off-season to fix this team (like weeding out the prima donnas, getting some more pitching, and finding more players like Todd Walker who excel in September and October). The Yankees dynasty can't last forever, and this year was likely the beginning of the end. So I signed up (again) for newsletters from the Sox (http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/bos/fan_forum/bos_fan_forum_index.jsp). Pitchers and catchers report in 4 months. Just wait 'til next year! Regards, Erik