Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow

Who will I miss most from the 2004 version of the Boston Red Sox? It’s not Derek Lowe or Pedro Martinez. It’s not Orlando Cabrera or Doug Mientkiewicz. Hell, it isn’t even Dave Roberts, even though I’d REALLY like to give that guy a smoocharoo on the lips. I swear I saw “The Steal” in my dreams last night.

The answer: Pokey Reese. His defensive brilliance kept us on our toes all through April and May, waiting and waiting till Nomar could play. Sure he couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn, but his athleticism was much appreciated by Terry Francona, his teammates and the Red Sox Faithful. He meant so much in those first two months, that when Nomar did come back in June, our defense looked like a Beer League team. We couldn’t catch the ball if our lives were on the line.

Through those struggles, I bet Pokey was just shrugging it off on the bench, giving his buddies knuckle-hits, handshakes, high-fives, whatever. He kept a positive attitude at all times. Plus, how many major leaguers these days are so important to a team just because of their defense? When I heard the news he left for Seattle, my heart felt like it was going down a water slide. Same with Dave Roberts, but that’s more of a romantic effect.

I wish him the best of luck in Seattle. I want to thank him for his defensive excellence and constant stability when times weren’t so hot. Thanks for the ‘fro, the leaping and the first name.

Hey Theo, you’ve still got five months to make him an offer.