It's not often that an unheralded newcomer to an established bullpen establishes themselves in April as the go to guy that will bridge the most critical situations between the days starter and the designated closer.
With the perceived depth of the Red Sox bullpen coming into the season, it certainly wasn't expected that Ramon Ramirez, who entered the season behind Jonathan Papelbon, Takashi Saito, Hideki Okajima, and Manny Delcarmen in the bullpen rotation, would claim that mantle.
Tonight's game against the Tampa Bay Rays marks the final game of the first calendar month of the season; and what an April it was. From the panic that set in BWNNH (Before Wake's Near No Hitter) after a 2-6 start, to the exhilaration of winning 12 out of 13 including a le-gen *wait for it* DARY sweep of the New York Yankees AB (Anno Bay - In the Year of Our Bay), April has been all Red Sox fans could ask for.
Who would have thought after the first week of the season that April would end with the Red Sox atop the American League with the league's best winning percentage?
Today we look at the best performances of April, culminating in the Fire Brand Player of the Month award.
Chad Finn, not scared away after our first conversation, graces the MVN airwaves for a second time as he recaps his reactions to the dramatic weekend with the Yankees at Fenway Park. Like many of us, Chad's starting to get a little worried about David Ortiz.
After Chad leaves, Paul and I give out our awards for April Most Valuable Player and look forward to a big week ahead on the road.
All that and more on Episode #43 of Fireside Chats on MVN!
For Red Sox fans, there is a "second Opening Day" to the season; the first time their familiar foes from New York line up across the diamond. The first series of the season against the New York Yankees takes on a heightened feeling as if New England takes a collective breath and bears down saying, "Baseball season is officially in full swing."
The rest of the nation may be sick of the Yankees/Red Sox rivalry, but the beauty of it for New Englanders is, that through all the hype, these games still matter and more often than not, live up to the anticipation that proceeds them.
It's a marathon, not a sprint. You've got to stay in for the long haul. Everything will regress to the mean. Water seeks its own level. The cream will rise to the top. You get my point...All is right with the world this week coming off a series sweep against Baltimore.
Paul and I welcome back our longest standing guest of Fireside Chats, Cranky Frankie the Yankee in advance of this weekends renewal of "the rivalry".
We close the show discussing the greatest moments in Red Sox Nation history. Our vote, cast for Dave Roberts and the steal. How about you?
All that and more on Episode #42 of Fireside Chats on MVN!
"Vintage Lester dominates Orioles" read the headline after Sunday's 2-1 Red Sox victory over Baltimore. While headlines are known for hyperbole, by definition, Jon Lester's third and best start of 2009 was vintage.