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Red Sox 2004 To The Present
The Boston Red Sox walked off the field at Yankee Stadium in 2003 after the Aaron Boone walk off homer probably feeling like Wile E. Coyote. The Yankees were the Road Runner. So, every time the coyote thought he had the right device or strategy to catch Road Runner. However, his best laid plans always blew up in his face or sent him over a cliff. Hence, learned helplessness sunk in amongst Red Sox fans. However, in 2004 the team had an epiphany and decided that it knew nothing of the past. They called themselves the “idiots” who would not give into “The Curse” history.
First, Sluggers David Ortiz (41 homers, 139 Runs Batted In) and Manny Ramirez (43 HR, 130 RBI), led the Sox with super power. This pair could rival Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig hitting back to back in the lineup. Johnny Damon (20 HR, 94 RBI, 123 Runs Scored) added speed as well as additional muscle. Next, Curt Schilling (21 Wins, 3.26 ERA) and Pedro Martinez (16 W, 3.90 ERA) paced the starters. Schilling signed on primarily because of his career dominance of the dreaded Yankees. Also, Keith Foulke saved 32 games and had a 2.17 ERA in relief. The Red Sox put together great stats and a new perspective as well.
Manager Terry Francona was not pulling the similar goofs of previous Red Sox managers did in the playoffs and World Series. He saw Grady Little leaving in an exhausted Pedro Martinez in Game Seven in 2003. He understood the mistake John McNamara made by leaving in a gimpy Bill Buckner in Games Six of 1986 for purely sentimental reasons. Finally, The Sox had a manager making the right moves on the field as well as setting a positive environment in the clubhouse. The steady hitting Kevin Millar (18 HR, 74 RBI) perhaps exemplified the new Sox spirit best. He wore a mischievous smile and strutted a devil-may-care attitude. Millar never lost hope when the team’s fortunes were down.
The Sox took second in the AL East. However, they got themselves down three games to none in the American League Championship Series to the… Yankees. Yet during warm ups before before Game Four, Millar put out hopeful scenarios about how the Sox could put four wins together to take the pennant. For even die hard Sox fans this seemed absurd. Hence, this is why the players were the “idiots.”
Don’t Let Us Win Tonight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GJc-Q4ILwc
In Game Four, the Sox rallied to prevent being closed out by Mariano Rivera in the 9th. Next they went on to win two more games to show Millar was an oracle. Then they crushed the Yankees in Game Seven, 10-3, in Yankee Stadium to expel one ghost. The Bronx Bombers finally fell to the Sox for the pennant. Now Tim Wakefield was off the hook from 2003.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9KxHOLQ40A
Ghosting the Cardinals
The Sox had lost to the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series in 1946 and 1967 . So after the Yankees were exorcised, it was time for payback against the Cards. The Series itself was an easy four game sweep for the Red Sox. The baseball world only found the Series interesting for the Sox breaking “The Curse.” Finally, 86 years after their last world title, and 84 after dealing Babe Ruth, Wile E. Coyote feasted on the Road Runner!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCBFjmtLgSI
More Championships
After 2004 the Red Sox won championships in 2007, 2013, and 2018. Now young fans were spared the ordeal of the Red Sox always finding ways to blow potential big victories. They had a team that was actually considered to be a dynasty. As a result, nobody called Sox fans called “long suffering” anymore. Furthermore, these fans expected victory, not creative ways to choke, when the Sox fought for a pennant or went to the Series. The Sox claiming at least a division title was the new normal. Management kept the strong star players, added role players where needed, and got rid of those who no longer with the right attitude. Manny Ramirez was one such example. He was dealt to the Dodgers in 2008 for failing to hustle and being a clubhouse attitude problem.
Yet since 2018 the Sox have failed to win a pennant. They have only made the playoffs twice (2021 and 2025). Red Sox Then and Now Part III will explore their post 2018 fortunes and where the BoSox are headed today.