Andrew McGilligan | One Volek In Time
On Sunday evening, the Boston Red Sox capped off an amazing comeback win against the Detroit Tigers to even the best-of-seven American League Championship Series 1-1.
A David Ortiz grand slam in the eighth inning tied the game and was followed up by a walk-off single in the ninth by Jarrod Saltalamacchia.
As a die-hard Red Sox fan I witnessed….none of it. In a fit of disgust, I went to bed after the sixth inning as Max Scherzer was dominating Boston just like Anibal Sanchez and the Tigers bullpen did in Game 1. The morning after Game 2 was a conflicted one as I was happy for the win, but not pleased with myself for missing it. Fellow Sox fans can be mad at me, but no one is more disappointed than the 2004 version of myself. Here’s a transcript of my conversation with the 2004 me.
2004 Andrew: So you went to bed? Were you tired? What happened?
2013 Andrew: They had one hit in Game 1 and only one more through six innings, it just seemed like the odds were stacked against us, no chance of winning.
2004 Andrew: You’re kidding right? The odds were stacked against us? That’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. The odds weren’t stacked against us, it was the middle innings of Game 2. It’s not like the team was down 3-0 to its biggest rival…oh wait, that was in 2004 and not once did I go to bed before the game ended.
Maybe I’m being too critical, did you have some kind of world-altering meeting you needed to attend in the morning or perhaps you had to get up early to save an endangered species? Did your wife threaten you with divorce if you didn’t stop watching? Please tell me it was something important that forced you to go to sleep.
2013 Andrew: Well…
2004 Andrew: I will answer that for you. Monday was Thanksgiving Day meaning you didn’t have to work, there were no meetings, nothing to prevent you from watching. And you’re wife was my girlfriend in 2004 and watched every game right beside on the couch, so there’s no blaming anyone else. I’m starting to get disgusted.
2013 Andrew: Fine, I just didn’t see a comeback happening, didn’t really think they had a chance the way the Tigers were pitching.
2004 Andrew: Did David Ortiz retire? How can you say you didn’t think they had a chance with that guy in the lineup. In 2004, we were going on blind faith and Dave Roberts stolen bases, this year’s team has Ortiz, Pedroia, Ellsbury, Lester…I could go on. Let’s just say you had a bit more to go than I did in 2004 and I haven’t even brought up Mark Bellhorn, we had to cheer on Bellhorn.
2013 Andrew: Please don’t bring up Bellhorn.
2004 Andrew: I will bring it up, because you seem to have forgotten how we made him into our good luck charm by berating him every chance we got (http://onevolekintime.com/2013/07/08/the-curious-case-of-mark-bellhorn/). Have you even thought about having a Bellhorn?
2013 Andrew: I guess if I had to choose it would be Stephen Drew, but I’m not sure that would work again.
2004 Andrew: Well, by all means continue to do nothing to help the cause. Wait, maybe your lack of faith is the new good luck charm.
2013 Andrew: You think so?
2004 Andrew: Just kidding, you’re terrible and if you’re not on your couch watching today’s game then I’m afraid I will have to take back your Red Sox Nation membership.
2013 Andrew: Seems reasonable, I’ll be watching.
One Volek In Time 