10.20.2008

it was not to be

Ah, well. The Red Sox made an impossible comeback in Game 5, then won Game 6 to force a final seventh game. But it was not to be.

Congratulations to the Tampa Bay Rays on their historic pennant-winning season.

The Rays have been in Major League Baseball for 10 years. In eight of those seasons, they finished last. Once, they finished second-to-last. This year, they held first place in our very tough division, won their first-ever playoff series, then beat the defending champion Boston Red Sox to win the American League pennant. They defied all the naysayers and the conventional "wisdom" that said they'd choke under pressure, and now they're going to the World Series.

It's always disappointing when your team loses, but this one was comparatively easy - or at least not hard - to take. The Red Sox were a very good team this year, but not a great team. Through most of the season, it seemed to me that the Rays were the team of destiny, the way the Sox were last year.

A sample from the end of last night's game thread will give you an idea of how we felt. Of course, this is after a barrage of one-word expletives. I'm copying this here to save it for myself, for whenever I might need it.
Great freaking series though.

. . .

don't hate me for this, but somewhere inside me, i'm happy for them. if they could beat us, they are a hell of a team.

i hope they win the world series.

. . .

I feel so much better than I would have if we had lost Game 5 7-0.

. . .

came up short but they gave us another exciting season. thanks red sox.

. . .

Ok, well, oh well.

That sucked, but it was still a damn good season. And Allan was right, the last 2 games have basically been free baseball.

. . .

we were real close this year

In this team's credit, it never quit. That they took it this far showed their heart was never weak.

Cheers for everything people. I shall sleep through the World Series.

. . .

Great season all. Loved chatting with you.

. . .

Bummer. That was a tough loss. Anyway, great season to get this far, we made them sweat. Many thanks to Joy of Sox for helping us get through another year. See what Theo can do in the off-season.

. . .

We gave them a run for their money at least!

I am sad, but somehow feel at peace that our team fought hard and lost to a worthy opponent.

. . .

I feel so much better than I would have if we had lost Game 5 7-0.

. . .

I guess there's nothing left to do but thank our great hosts for yet another great year of game threads and posts.

And it was an amazing season and amazing series. Can't complain (too much).

. . .

we've been blessed. there is no greater time in history to be a red sox fan.

so we'll get ready for 2009

. . .

But I'm really glad we took them down to the wire. They outplayed us, and there's no shame in that.

yes, thanks to Allan and Laura for providing a home to the best Sox blog and community on the web.

. . .

I will really miss all of you again. Thanks, Laura and Allan, for once again making my season. And to all the regulars (and the lurkers), it's been a great ride. Thanks for all the laughs.

. . .

Nothing too much new, but as sucky as this is I'm OK with it. Mind you, not remotely as OK as actually winning, but... They had an awesome year; sox had a solid year. FKR eked it out in the post-season, just like the regular season.

If you're not gonna make it to the World Series, you might as well make it this close. Take that MFY! (who?).

Thank you Allan and Laura!

. . .

Good series, very good season.

Thank you Allan, for another quality season of lurking. I'm disappointed but not crushed. I don't think I can root for the Rays, but respect them and they way they did things.

. . .

Another thank you to RS and LG for what was a very enjoyable season of talk and sharing.

I heard that the Red Sox radio announcer read this on the air last night, and was a little choked up. I know my eyes mist over every time I read it.
It breaks your heart. It is designed to break your heart. The game begins in the spring, when everything else begins again, and it blossoms in the summer, filling the afternoons and evenings, and then as soon as the chill rains come, it stops and leaves you to face the fall alone. You count on it, rely on it to buffer the passage of time, to keep the memory of sunshine and high skies alive, and then just when the days are all twilight, when you need it most, it stops.

Bart Giamatti, from "Green Fields of the Mind"

Now: my mother arrives in a few hours and we still have cleaning to do! If we finish early, I will post more later.

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