Unless you're somewhere in the Blue Hills living in a cave, you are aware that today is opening day at Fenway Park. The Red Sox open the 2007 season at home against Ichiro the Seattle Mariners, with Josh Beckett taking the hill. Bostonist expects to hear a thunderous ovation for our returning Red Sox, and a warm welcome for the new guys (JD Drew, Julio Lugo). Outside of today's team introductions Bostonist was contemplating what events spanning the 81 games played at the Fens would send the Fenway Faithful into a frenzy. The following five events are some of the can't-miss occasions for those who love being able to say "I was there this season when ..." -
5 - A-Rod's first error. This doesn't require much of an explanation. He is the player everyone loves to hate—not only in Boston, not only in other AL cities, but also in the Bronx. The first moment he boots that one routine grounder will undoubtedly be met with waves of jeers. Sorry A-Rod, you suck.
4 – The first time Jonathan Papelbon comes in for a save. When the bullpen door swings open and Jon Papelbon comes jogging out towards the mound, everyone inside the fenway walls —fans, teammates, opponents— knows it's "O-V-A" ovah'.
3 - Jon Lester's first game back after battling cancer. The grind of a 162 game season is overwhelming in of itself, requiring these athletes to train year-round (Curt Schilling excluded) to prepare for that schedule. Jon Lester, however, is overcoming an obstacle very few have to face –cancer. His season ended abruptly last August when he was diagnosed with anaplastic large-cell lymphoma. His return to baseball came earlier than expected when tests showed his cancer was in remission. He has already made his first appearance for Single-A Greenville, allowing a mere two hits and fanning five. More starts in the minors await Lester until we can expect to see him called up to make another go at his big league career.
2 - Daisuke Matsuzaka's debut at Fenway. The hype is warranted after the performance in his MLB debut against the Kansas City Royals. Any doubt about whether the $100Million price-tag was a smart move on the part of the Red Sox front-office – is now gone. For the near future, the face of the Red Sox, the rock-star of the team, is Dice-K.
1 - Trot's return to Fenway with the Cleveland Indians. The absolute embodiment of the term "Dirt Dog” is no longer a member of our Red Sox team, although in the hearts of Boston baseball fans, Christopher Trotman Nixon is forever THE Boston Dirt Dog. His return to Boston will be made on May 28th when the Indians visit Fenway for the first time this season. Everyone should probably expect a 10-15 minute ovation for Trot when he's introduced to everyone in the stands as an Indian, and welcomed back as one of the scrappiest, toughest, and most emotional players in Red Sox history.
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Nixon will deservedly get a rousing round of applause. He was a good, sometimes very good, hard-nosed player for the Red Sox..albeit, disappointing in the end. But was he a better, tougher or grittier player than say, Bill Mueller? That's a reach, IMO, considering the run Mueller had between 2003-05. Trot stayed teflon in Boston, even at the end when he struggled horribly. His last good season was '03; the championship year he only played 40+ games.
I understand why Nixon deserves the ovation he'll no doubt get. But to me, his last 2+ seasons
(in his prime years) were ultimately disappointing. Either way, give him a big round of applause.